Kiku Sharda unmasked

Kiku Sharda, one of India’s most loved comedians, is back with The Great Indian Kapil Show on Netflix doing what he is best at — making people laugh. For the past six weeks, the show has been trending in Netflix’s Top 10, and Kiku’s funny characters are a big reason behind that.Trying new thingsKiku says the OTT platform has allowed them to try new and fun things. “We’ve played all kinds of characters from Donald Trump to Kim Jong. This season, we’ve brought more characters like Aladdin and Jasmine, and a new funny pair called Sona-Mona. We are trying fresh ideas and pushing ourselves. It’s challenging but so much fun,” he shares.In one episode, Kiku played Tiger Shroff. “It’s not easy to play someone like Tiger when you have a body like mine”, he laughs, “but people are enjoying it, and that’s what matters.”Unstoppable laughter on and off stageKiku and fellow comedian Krushna Abhishek often can’t stop laughing on stage. “Sometimes during the shoot, both of us start laughing uncontrollably. Especially when someone improvises or does something unexpected on stage, we lose it. We try to stay serious but often have bursts of uncontrollable laughter,” he admits.There are times when host Kapil Sharma has to remind them that the scene has gone off-track. “Once, I had to speak in a Bengali accent, but while performing it with enthusiasm and energy, I have no idea when Bengali turned into Nepali! We don’t take ourselves too seriously, as the idea is to enjoy what we’re doing,” adds Kiku.Funny costumes and fan loveKiku’s journey in donning costumes for comedy hasn’t always been comfortable. “The weirdest was when I played a genie. My whole body and face were painted green, it took a lot of work but the character turned out really cute and interesting,” he says. There’s more, “Last season, I dressed up as Gangubai in a white sari. While watching the episode, my wife said, ‘You’re looking so pretty!’ Even fans said I looked genuinely beautiful,” he laughs.Cross-dressing with dignityPlaying female characters on television can sometimes raise uncomfortable questions, but Kiku says the response has mostly been positive and respectful. “People rarely ask, ‘Why are you doing this?’ In fact, teachers at my kids’ school often want to visit our sets just to see the shooting process,” he adds.Says Kiku, “Since we’ve started playing female characters, we’ve received so much love. Only few people have ever asked, ‘How can you wear women’s clothes? Isn’t it weird’? But such comments have been rare. Whether it’s me, Sunil Grover, or any other actor, we’ve always cross-dressed with dignity and with right spirit. That’s why, perhaps, we’ve never really faced any harsh criticism"The real KikuOff-stage, Kiku is not the loud, laughing man we see on screen. “At home, I’m quiet. Even when I meet people, I don’t open up easily. So, sometimes many think I’m arrogant, but I’m not. I’m just not talkative,” shares the comedian, who is an MBA in marketing. “My friends still joke, ‘Why did you do an MBA if you wanted to act? You wasted a seat’. But I believe no education goes to waste. It only adds to your thinking.”A family manKiku comes from a business family. “If I wasn’t acting, I would be working in our family business. I lost my father two years ago. He was very active in business, but we three brothers chose different careers one is in the corporate world, one lives abroad, and I became an actor.” He saidThrough all the laughter, costumes, and funny roles, the real Kiku Sharda remains a humble human being. He’s not just a funny man on screen but someone who loves his work, his family, and the simple joy of making others laugh.

Kiku Sharda unmasked

Shivanshi Verma

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