Doon is my favourite city in the world!: Archana Puran Singh

Archana Puran Singh has done several memorable comic roles on TV and films. The seasoned actress, who has been a prominent face in Bollywood and Television industry, has judged shows like Comedy Circus for 10 years. She is currently seen judging India's Laughter Champion with Shekhar Suman. In an exclusive interview with ETimes TV, Archana shared how the society has become intolerant towards when it comes to accepting diverse kinds of humour. She further shared that she hates people promoting fake morality. She also opened up about her family's reaction to the punches cracked on her in The Kapil Sharma Show and her lovely bond with Kapil. (Photo: Instagram)

My opinion is a very strong one and maybe not a very popular one. We are becoming a very intolerant society. The tolerance that was seen so many years ago, where we would accept diverse kinds of humour has gone missing. Lot of things were said but we would note the intent with which a particular joke was made. When the intent was only to create humour we would not take things so seriously earlier. Now, even if it is a standup comedy, the person is only making a joke, we are interpreting as oh he is trying to hurt our sentiments, he is trying to hurt my religion. What I feel is we should note the intent of that particular person. There are people who are just trying to make their livelihood and unintentionally, sometimes they might have pressed the wrong nerve. (Photo: Instagram)

There are only some people who are extra sensitive. The whole population is not getting upset, only a few people will stand up and raise their voice. Too many voices are being raised, perhaps we should look inwards and understand when it is a standup comic and the intent of that person is to write or create humour, we should also give him/her an extra inch and not take wherever is being said so seriously. Because the standup artist is not saying it seriously, it is a joke. (Photo: Instagram)

As far as language or double meaning jokes are concerned, if you are an adult and you are watching an OTT show, how and why are you getting offended. Why are you becoming the guardian of values and morality? On OTT there are many shows which don’t have adult jokes or bad language then you choose to watch those. I remember an incident which happened during Comedy Circus, a lady told me that your show has double meaning jokes, every episode there is something. I was a little taken aback and I replied to her it is not possible that it is happening in every episode but even if it is why are you watching it and then getting offended. Who is forcing you to watch? They say our kids' minds get influenced but there are parental locks, please put those. You want the entire society to change for you and act according to your convenience. Then someday someone will get up and say, don’t wear short skirts or cover your head. There won’t be a limit to how much people might expect. (Photo: Instagram)

If you have a problem with double meaning jokes, you apply self restraint and don’t watch such content. OTT is being allowed under certain guidelines, just respect that and don’t subscribe to those platforms. I just hate this false morality. Having said that, I will also say that there are some people who are very ultra sensitive and don’t want to watch such content, with full respect to them. But then allow other people the freedom to do what they want, you have the full freedom to not watch those stuff. (Photo: Instagram)

I get these fan comments on my social media also and I very politely tell them that Kapil is like my son. Even Kapil has mentioned so many times on the show “Arre ma’am hum toh apni dukaan chalane ke liye ye punches maarte hain, otherwise you know how much I love you. We love you and respect you ma’am”. I then reply also that you first insult me and then you say I love and respect you. He often says on the show we have to do this otherwise how will we run our show which is so right. Because of this show so many people get entertained and people who don’t take it seriously enjoy it a lot. They feel “arre dekho ye badmash sa baccha apni maa ki Umar ke lady ki kitni leg pulling karta hai”. I also sit with a stick and warn him, so people enjoy this banter between us. (Photo: Instagram)

There’s so much love, mutual respect in this relationship with Kapil. If this wasn’t there everyone knows nobody can get away after saying nasty things to me. Agar Woh sach mein insult hoti I would never take it. It is a very tight rope they walk on and if they lose their balance, I feel it’s fine because it happens when you are creating humour. It is a rule in comedy that unless you are not irreverent, you cannot be humorous. Unless there is no naughtiness in the humour or joke, it won’t be funny. Whatever Kapil does, he does it very knowingly. He knows that these punches will work and people love to watch it. Off camera is always very respectful. He hugs me, kisses me, in a day he will at least mention once that he loves me a lot and how much I tolerate them. These things people don’t see but the fans who read between the lines they understand our bond. (Photo: Instagram)

They are my kids, mera hi khoon hai, my blood will never be able to get offended by jokes. They are young modern kids, who watch Hollywood films and standup which has roasting and there’s no limit. They have seen their mother being a victim of insult comedy and being roasted since they were five six years old. Comedy Circus ke time se…. They think it is very normal and Parmeet on the other hand says they crack so many jokes on me but they don’t pay royalty to me. I deserve royalty on every punch that I clean vessels at home and do all your work. But at the end he’s also from the same industry and in fact, he has written my standup comedy show, Archana Talkies. He used to write my stand-ups, so he is a writer and understands everything. He knows these lines are written to evoke a response in people. So there is never any hassle. (Photo: Instagram)

My mother in fact sometimes when I go to her room, she teases me. She says, “Aaj Kapil tujhe bol raha tha Mooche Ugg aayi hain, after 12:30 Tere mooche ugg jaati hain,” she enjoys and laughs also. Then sometimes she says “Aaj toh Kapil bol raha tha Tere dole (biceps) is like Sunny Deol. She’s always giggling and telling me. My family is very cool with these things. (Photo: Instagram)

Maine keh diya tha main hasungi he nahi toh edit kaise Karoge… they did this for 4-6 months in the beginning and they reduced it later. But the result is people have only seen me laughing and the other judges who did not laugh, they didn’t use their reactions. They only put my cuts laughing loudly. I agree I do have a loud laugh, but I don’t have an irrational, idiotic laugh. I don’t laugh that much on silly jokes. I am an intelligent, educated person, who knows what humour is. Because of all this, the residual impact is that Archana laughs at anything. The fact is I laugh a lot and laugh very loudly that I absolutely accept, but I don't laugh at any jokes. As a professional it is my duty to boost a particular performer's act.

(source:Instagram)