Seriously funny

Producer Allan McKeown was interested in setting a comedy in a call centre in India. I started writing a movie some years ago set in a call centre, which I had abandoned to pursue other projects.

Sanjeev Bhaskar returns with Mumbai Calling to take forward his war against racism

How did you work out the theme for Mumbai Calling?
Producer Allan McKeown was interested in setting a comedy in a call centre in India. I started writing a movie some years ago set in a call centre, which I had abandoned to pursue other projects. I already had some homework done. It all seemed a natural fit to dust off those ideas into this new project and develop a situation comedy. Nitin Ganatra as an actor and Simon Blackwell as writer are both friends and colleagues, so I was able to bring them on board and they added to the series.

What8217;s your character Kenny Gupta like?
Kenny Gupta is a British born Indian who has never been to India and, although he looks like everybody else, he8217;s still a fish out of water and is constantly looking forward to the day he can return to his cold, rainy, depressing bit of London.

Yet another attempt at speaking out against racism?
My work has always been about playing with people8217;s perceptions of stereotypes from Goodness Gracious Me through The Kumars at Number 42 through to the documentary series India with Sanjeev Bhaskar, and I hope also with my contribution to Mumbai Calling.

How different is the racism scene in UK now?
Better than it was when my parents came here. After President Obama, who knows we may have an Indian Prime Minister of the UK too.

Given the current economic scenario and the international take on outsourcing to India, is there not a possibility that the show might face criticism?
Mumbai Calling is entertainment and thus employs dramatic license. It isn8217;t a documentary so any criticism other than from an entertainment point of view I think is pointless.

Your wife, Meera Syal, has not been a part of Mumbai Calling. What is she up to?
Meera has been writing movie scripts and acting in a comedy on British TV, called Beautiful People, so she8217;s kept busy.

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What do you think of comedies from India?
As mass appeal, comedy in India struck me as sometimes lacking in sophistication but this certainly seems to be changing in recent times, particularly in the films. We have a generation in India now that can not only compete with the West in terms of commerce but also entertainment.

The adaptation of international formats of laughter shows has triggered many series here. Comment.
I can8217;t comment on any specific one except perhaps The Kumars format that was tried in India. In my experience the problem with buying the format is that what one buys is the end result not the experience that goes with it.

What makes a good joke8212;a situation or a punch line?
Both make a good joke, a combination of the two, make a great one.

Who are your favourite comedians?
Marx brothers, Woody Allen, Monty Python, Peter Sellers, Robin Williams, and the list goes on. At the moment my three-year-old son, Shaan makes me laugh more than anyone else.

Mumbai Calling airs on HBO from November 8