Bharti Singh was back to work on the 12th day of becoming a mother. And she was on stage till the day of her delivery. “Golla has taken part in many performancesin my tummy. If he grows up and demands his share of appearance fees, mujhe teen-char show ke paise dene padenge,” India’s best-known comedienne states, with her tongue firmly in cheek. The seven-month-old, whose eyes, according to Bharti, are “like his father (TV writer Haarsh Limbachiyaa)’s, but the rest of his body is like me”, is prone to waking up in the middle of her mother’stelephonic conversations. So, Bharti has tiptoed to the next room to speak to The Telegraph about her current turn as the anchor of Zee TV’s weekend singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs 9 (airing Saturdays and Sundays at 9pm).
You were mentioning that kids look better rotund, so you are happy that Golla has got your physique. Did you ever try to reduce yourself or would that reduce your comic appeal?
In between I had become slim. What is needed is to stay fit. I don’t need to become slim and look hot. My husband finds me hot this way. (laughs)
I am most comfortable hosting with my husband. Then there is little responsibility on me. I give him all the tough lines and take the punch lines myself. Bechara, what can he do? He is both the writer and the husband.
You had mentioned somewhere that Haarsh comes free if Bharti is taken on board.
Ekdum. I ask Haarsh if he doesn’t get upset when people say such things. He says it is not as if people are cursing him. They say it out of love. Sometimes I feel bad, but he does not. I have seen him perform alone in some shows like Khatra Khatra where he is himself the writer. Even there he performs well. Yes, of course, the world knows him as Bharti’s husband.
Was he a writer and started performing only after you two met?
He has written shows like Comedy Circus, Comedy Nights Bachao, Comedy Classics. But he was not a stage person. Once Nach Baliye came our way, he did the show thinking this would be the last. We were not married then. Then Khatron Ke Khiladi happened. He became a hit on that show. He has become easy on camera now but even then he says he is better off writing shows, not performing in them. I have to request him ki yeh channel bulaya hai, chal na Haarsh...
How much do you stick to the script? A lot seems to be impromptu.
I do read the script. But once I am on stage, I notice someone and I go off on my own, saat samundar paar. Then I have to draw myself back to the script. I know a script is like a writer’s child. So if I veer off, I always apologise to the writer that I had spoken some lines that were not in the script. But they are usually happy since the improvisation works.
Some months back you had to post an apology video, possibly for the first time in your career. Have people in India become too sensitive?
Too much. We are here to do comedy. When we take the stage our only aim is to entertain and make people laugh, not to hurt anyone’s sentiment. But sometimes what happens is when we are pumped up by applause, koi baat flow mein nikal jaati hai. Ghar mein bhi kabhi Mummy ko bol dete hai “Chup karo”, baad mein bura lagta hai kyun bola. The same way, some controversy gets created, some people go to court. So I posted that video on behalf of not just myself but of our entire community of comedians appealing to people that when you laugh so much at our words, then if, by mistake, some wrong words come out of our mouths, then you can forgive that one slip. I have no problems in saying sorry. I was talking about beards, so I mentioned in passing that wives of husbands with beards have some problems. I did not name any community or religion. Beards are so much in fashion these days. If I make a dish, and I think that has been cooked well but some do not like the taste, I will of course say sorry to them and offer to cook something else.
Why are female comedians not coming up?
True. There are new singers, new heroines, new TV leads... But why are girls not coming in comedy? I too want some competition so people tell me “See, that girl is doing so well!” That way I too will feel the urge to improve, I too will feel scared that if I don’t, I will get left behind. I will be happy if such a day comes.
Host Bharti Singh on the sets of SRGMP Li’l Champs
This is the first time you are hosting a children’s show.
Yes. I have a new attachment with kids ever since Golla has come into my life. I have got 12 to 15 Gollas on the show, some aged five, six or seven. Some are so talented that it seems they started singing from their mothers’ wombs. Their performances bring tears to my eyes. People say Bharti cries a lot. But I take Neverything to heart. I am not a technical host. When there’s an emotional, I will get emotional; if it’s a funny moment, I will be funny.
Are you in a different space in this show compared to the out and out comedy you do on The Kapil Sharma Show?
Well, they are all children here, so one has to be careful about what kind of comedy can be done. I have worked for 15 years, so one look at the audience and I know whether they are appreciating honestly or just being polite. So far, the kind of genuine appreciation I have got on this show I pray to God that it doesn’t go to my head.
When the participants are children, you can’t even pull their leg...
But I can get them to pull others’ legs! I wait for the day when I will go for the shoot and I plan what gift to take for the kids. The other day I took chocolates and everyone was so happy that I got a lot of kisses.
Among the judges, have you worked with Neeti Mohan or Shankar Mahadevan before?
It is true that I have not worked much with Neeti and Shankarji, except on occasions when they have come to our show or I have gone to theirs. But we formed a friendship right on the day of the promo shoot. We shared food, asking what the others have got from home. Now even if we sit away from each other, ek doosre ki vanity van mein khane ki cheez mil jati hai. This becomes a bond. You have to form one if you have to work for five-six months at a stretch on a show. I make new friends in each show. My family keeps extending.
Kapil Sharma
Still, your rapport has to be closest with Anu Malik since both of you go back to Indian Idol.
We are like Tom and Jerry. Anuji feels like a younger brother who you can pull by the ear and make him do things. He does that to me too.
Once Ekta Kapoor mentioned at an award show how you shoot on one channel in the day, make a guest appearance on another in the evening and collect a trophy from another channel at an award show at night.
Agli baar jab Zee Rishtey Award hogi, main keh rahi hoon ki mujhe Best Anchor ki award do. Zee-wali ladki sun rahi hai, na? (addressing the coordinator who connected the conference call). I have come on single episodes but never for a full season on Zee.
Were you on the lookout for a children’s show after Golla’s birth or was this a coincidence?
Shukar karo ki yeh show mil gaya. Nahin toh main ek aur bachcha kar leti. Zee-walon ne mera time bnacha liya. Children are gifts of god. I have decided to have another baby. Abhi toh nahin karungi, kaam hai. But when Golla is two years old, I will definitely have a second child. Who knows if Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will continue even then!
Other than Haarsh, who is your favourite comedian?
The one I hold as my godfather, from whom I have learnt a lot, is Kapil Sharma. When I was in college (DAV College in Amritsar), he was our theatre teacher, with Sudesh Lehri, Rajiv Thakur... They used to come to teach us before plays, etc. Youth festivals used to take place. We used to perform together in plays outside. It used to be great fun. Even today, I spend most festivals at Kapil Sharma bhai’s place. His wife, Ginni, is so sweet that she reminds me of my mother.
