Kapil Sharma may have been back with his popular series "The Kapil Sharma Show" but the comedian is still missing the joy of performing in front of a live audience.
The show's shoot was suspended in March in the wake of coronavirus pandemic and since then, the makers had been airing old episodes for the past several months.
In July, the team, which also includes Bharti Singh, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda and Sumona Chakravarti, resumed shooting amid strict safety guidelines. The show went on air from August 1 on Sony Entertainment Television, with actor Sonu Sood as the first guest.
"We are not shooting with live audience and that’s something we all miss. However, Archana ji makes up for it – she and her laughter are equal to 100 people on set," Sharma said.
To make up for the live audience, the makers decided to place cutouts of people behind the show's permanent guest Archana Puran Singh's chair. Sharma said given the rising number of COVID-19 cases, there was apprehension to start shooting again but he then realised that he has to resume work someday.
"With the kind of news coming in and the information available, one does feel apprehensive. I'm no different. We are taking all preventive measures in our capacity while shooting.
"Personally, we are all very careful and conscious. Our show gives us an opportunity to make people smile during these grim times. So, it’s worth it."
The 39-year-old actor-comedian believes laughter is the best medicine for the people, especially in the current times.
"It has been our conscious effort to bring laughter into peoples lives. We get so many messages and posts from people saying if they were stressed, watching the show helped them overcome certain situations or they just fest relieved and forgot about their problems for a little while.
"Comedy has that effect on people. After a long and tiresome day, all one wants is to forget about whatever has happened, even though its for a little while. Maybe we help people relax, and to me, that’s the least that we can do," Sharma added.
He said the idea is to share inspirational stories with the audience through his show. "Apart from doing comedy, through the writing, we explore various aspects that highlight real heroes, an inspiration for people or even something that can bring about a social change," he added.
