Indian King of Comedy Kapil Sharma, Star of Busan Film ‘Zwigato,’ Takes On Global Streaming With Hit Netflix Show (EXCLUSIVE)
Indian comedy sensation Kapil Sharma, who starred in Nandita Das’ 2022 Busan selection “Zwigato,” has successfully transitioned his long-running TV show to Netflix, with “The Great Indian Kapil Show” now reaching audiences worldwide.
“The Kapil Sharma Show” was broadcast on Sony Entertainment Television India from 2016-2023. The decision to bring his show to Netflix came organically. “Netflix asked, why don’t we bring your show, which people have enjoyed on TV for so many years, onto Netflix,” Sharma explains. “I really liked this idea, and thought why not? A global service like Netflix would be great to reach more people and get international exposure as well.” The transition has allowed for a new approach to production. “We’re very lucky to have created a show where each episode is so different and unique and the season-wise approach on Netflix allows us all a bit of a breather, which is a welcome change,” Sharma says.
More from Variety
While the show’s primary focus remains its Hindi-speaking audience, the global feedback has been notable. “Of course, it’s different if someone is watching the show with subtitles. With that said, the global feedback has been outstanding. When our show launched, it trended not only in India, but several other countries like Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Season 1 went on to become the first Indian series to trend on the Global Top 10 TV (non-English) list for four weeks consecutively,” Sharma says. The success continues with Season 2, which has claimed the #1 spot in India’s Top 10 TV chart since its launch two weeks ago and has entered the Top 10 in 11 countries.
Sharma, who won Star TV’s stand-up comedy reality show, “The Great Indian Laughter Challenge” Season 3 in 2007 and has hosted Colors TV’s “Comedy Nights With Kapil,” acknowledges the difficulty of writing comedy, especially for a long-running show. “Comedy is definitely challenging to write because each time, you need to come up with a new subject and a fresh gag,” he says. “It’s especially tough when we’re interacting with the celebrities on our show, with whom we’ve already done many episodes.” He credits his team for the show’s consistent quality. “I feel very fortunate and thankful to God for having such a fantastic team. My directors, my acting team and everyone else are all veterans of the industry, with whom I’ve built long-standing friendships.”
The new season introduces technological enhancements to create a more immersive viewing experience. Visual effects and holograms have been incorporated, with plans to experiment with interactive formats in upcoming episodes. The show is also expanding its character roster, introducing more pop culture-relevant figures alongside familiar faces. To engage with fans directly, Sharma and his castmates are embarking on multi-city tours, including a recent visit to the Attari Wagah Border to meet with Border Security Forces and their families. The guest list for Season 2 includes Saif Ali Khan, NTR Jr, Janhavi Kapoor, the T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team and also the cast of “Fabulous Wives vs Bollywood Lives.” The season kicked off with Alia Bhatt, Karan Johar, Vasan Bala and Vedang Raina for their upcoming film “Jigra.”
While comedy remains his forte, Sharma has ventured into dramatic roles, notably in “Zwigato.” “Of course, I would love to take on more lead roles in films. Post the release of ‘Zwigato,’ though, people seem to be interested only in offering me more serious scripts. While I do want to show the world my serious side, I don’t want to focus on it too much,” he chuckles. “I honestly enjoy doing comedy films more, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t consider a serious role. If a great script comes my way, I’d definitely love to take it up.”
As “The Great Indian Kapil Show” continues to gain global traction, Sharma remains open to new opportunities, including the possibility of more stand-up specials following the success of “I am Not Done Yet” on Netflix.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
