Televisions viewers usually get irked and put out when their favourite programme is interrupted for commercials. To assuage them Big Magic, the comedy channel, has introduced a digital content on TV for the first time titled Chutki Aur Shopkeepaa series which will be shown in between the regular shows throughout the day. Conceptualized by popular comedian Gaurav Gera, who is already a hit on social media, will now delight the small screen audience as well as listeners of 92.7 Big FM through this series which comprises two-minute clips of funny conversation between Chutki and the shopkeeper.
The actor was in the Capital and spoke to The Hindu about his career, comedy and the series.
Edited excerpts from the interview:
What made you leave fashion house and move to acting? I wanted to do fashion when I was a kid. Later I realised that may be I am doing it for glamour. So I told my dad that it’s a really expensive course and you are wasting your money, I am not going to do it because I am not excited by it. I wanted to do theatre, so my dad only said it’s ok just complete the course get some work experience and if you still don’t like it do what you want. My parents have always been very supportive. So in my early 20s I switched over and came to Mumbai. I started acting and comedy just followed.
How did comedy come into picture?
Actually comedy just happened. I really didn’t have this thing in mind that I am going Mumbai for comedy. I just thought that I wanted to be an actor and somehow I got such roles. I got character roles in which my strength was my acting and not my looks. It was the actor which got sold. I think while doing Nandu I only played a character I never did as a comedy. I portrayed every emotion. I think people just remember it as comedy. Now also whenever I do comedy I do it because the scene is funny.
What is the USP of your series?
The USP is that you don’t need to know about the story. Just like in a daily soap the story is in continuation so there is a compulsion that you must know the background of the story. In this there is no need to know anything about the story. It is just between a stranger and a shopkeeper which are individual bytes.
What are the topics you are going to pick?
First of all, there will be some classic pieces which can be played any time, which even if you watch after 50 years will make you laugh. Also, we are going to generate topical content like what is going on at present in the world. We are going to include that but without being judgmental about anything.
How do you think internet comedy is different from television comedy?
Whenever a thing comes on television and films it takes into a lot of money and because of that people tend to think a lot about the content. They need to make some thing which can be seen by all. It has a lot of restrictions but internet I think is a free zone but again I want to make mass videos. I aim my adult above 17 yrs, so I think all in all you can be more free on internet. Your content can be completely different. There are a lot of hang-ups on television. You cannot take the name of any product, brands etc. So there are so many things that stop you being creative.
