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Time of India

Humour is a good indicator of how society has evolved: Saurabh Shukla

Saurabh Shukla. Pic: Samik Sen From reflecting on the decline of humour in Bollywood to sharing why he chose Kashmir as the backdrop for his play Barf, acclaimed actor and writer Saurabh Shukla was recently in town to attend a college event. In a candid chat, he offered deep insights into his craft, society, and his enduring bond with Kolkata. Excerpts: On humour disappearing in cinema You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Shukla, known for his comic roles, offered a poignant observation about the state of humour in contemporary cinema , linking it directly to societal trends. 'Cinema mirrors society. When you find less and less humour in real life, you'll experience the same in cinema. And if you want to know why, you'll have to ask why it's happening in the real world, where people get easily offended now, make issues out of nothing, and are quick to anger. I feel humour is a good indicator of how society has evolved,' he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Upto 15% Discount for Salaried Individuals ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo On the charm of Kashmir and his play Barf When asked why he chose Kashmir as the setting for his play Barf, Shukla said, 'The moment we hear about Kashmir, the politics and conflicts jump to mind, but my play has nothing to do with all that. In fact, one of the best compliments I received was from a Kashmiri after he heard the script: 'Sir ye Kashmir ki kahani hain; yeh aur kahin ki kahani nahi ho sakti hain'. Shukla added that the play was originally set in Maharashtra. 'But I felt something was amiss. Then I shot a film in Kashmir. It's truly beautiful – the people are very good looking, very soft spoken. But I felt a sort of fear – a sense of mistrust and seclusion – despite things being alright. I needed just that for the play,' he said. Beyond choice & towards detail Emphasising that the details an actor adds to a character makes all the difference, the Satya actor said, 'The idea is not to just do a role you like, but what details you add to the character to make it come alive. I feel joy when I can add colour to the roles I play.' Saurabh Shukla in a still from Jolly LLB 2. Pic: Samik Sen 'Theatre taught me a lot but not how to act in movies' Articulating the fundamental difference between working in theatre and cinema, he said, 'Theatre taught me discipline, how to read a script, ethics, aesthetics, but not how to do cinema. Cinema is a different medium altogether. Quite a few great thespians haven't made it big in cinema and vice versa. Actors are actors, but what makes the difference is the medium. Their success often hinges on their mastery of the specific demands of either the stage or the screen.' Don't try to look for a story that has never been told before, because you'll be disappointed to know there is no such story. Write what you want to tell; it need not stand out to make it big – On how to write a unique story Quotes: I feel joy when I can add colour to the roles I play Kolkata is not just a vibrant city but also home for me. I have many memories here – of the food and also the people. I shot two films here – Manohar Pandey & Calcutta Mail It's a perception that Gen Z doesn't have a long attention span, but I feel that isn't true. If the content is worth watching, they will watch even a three-hour-long movie