3 min readMumbaiJul 8, 2014 01:26 PM IST
Kapil was forced into a corner by the makers of his very successful show Comedy Nights With Kapil.
The story of how Kapil Sharma had to let go of his feature-film debut is exciting enough to be turned into a full-fledged screenplay.
Apparently, Kapil was forced into a corner by the makers of his very successful show Comedy Nights With Kapil.
Says a very reliable source, “Kapil was very clear that the only way he could accommodate a movie offer into his television commitments was if the channel agreed to convert the show from a bi-weekly to a weekly. In their defense, the channel was also very clear on their part that they were not agreeable to cutting Kapil’s show down by half, under any circumstance.”
Matters had come to a flashpoint with both parties insisting on their will to prevail.
Last month the stalemate came to a flashpoint when the channel informed Kapil that they would introduce another comedy show on one week-night to supplement Comedy Nights With Kapil if Kapil opted to make his show a weekly instead of a bi-weekly.”
Says the source, “There was tremendous tension between Kapil and the channel, with Kapil contemplating pulling out of the show completely if another comedy show was brought in.”
Tension between Kapil and the channel was already brewing over the issue of the late telecast of episodes. Comedy Nights With Kapil which is slotted at 10 pm is often pushed ahead by as much as 30-35 minutes to accommodate Jhalak Dikhlaa Jaa. Earlier Kapil’s show was being pushed forward to accommodate Fear Factor.
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Says a source, “Kapil was understandably peeved by the delay in telecast. When Kapil brought these delays to the Channel’s notice, nothing was done to control the scheduled timing for Comedy Nights With Kapil. On top of that came the channel’s decision to bring in another comedy show to supplement Kapil’s show if he reduced its air-time by half. Relations between Kapil and the channel worsened.”
Apparently the channel’s CEO Raj Nayak had to intervene to sort out the differences between Kapil and the channel.
“It’s fine now. But Kapil cannot run off to do a film at the cost of his television show. He cannot cut down on the show’s frequency. And if he can’t take time off from Comedy Nights With Kapil he can’t do his film right now,” informs the source.
Kapil maintains his priority is Comedy Nights With Kapil, “And my mother. She is here with me in Mumbai because I couldn’t go to Punjab to be with her. I have to leave for London soon, so I am rushing through my episodes of Comedy Nights. Mom is here but I’ve no time for her. In the morning I get to speak to her for two minutes before I rush off. By the time I return home she’s asleep.”
Kapil was forced into a corner by the makers of his very successful show Comedy Nights With Kapil.