In the little over a month that it has been on air, The Great Indian Kapil Show — true to its pedigree — has hit it over the boundary with a straight bat. The viewership ratings for each episode have hovered around the one million-plus mark.

Streaming on Netflix, the comedy series — spearheaded by Kapil Sharma and comprising his core ha-ha team of Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda and Rajiv Thakur, with Archana Puran Singh laughing out loud from the audience — has retained almost all the elements that made its previous formats a hit on two television channels.

The USP of The Great Indian Kapil Show has undoubtedly been the return of comedian Sunil Grover to the Kapil Sharma fold. Grover is an indelible part of the show and many tune in just to watch him in sublime form week after week.

What works for The Great Indian Kapil Show is that all its players are popular. An outreach initiative carried out by Netflix saw Kapil, along with Krushna and Sunil, landing up at the doorsteps of people in a bid to surprise them. The emotions went from surprise and delight to “Kya lenge aap?” in a matter of seconds as the trio went knocking on people’s doors. From squeals of: “Oh my God, I can’t believe it!” to “Agli baar bhabhi aur bacchon ko lekar aana’’, there was a whole lot of love and apnapan showered on Kapil and the team.

“I have always talked about the deepest gratitude and regard I hold for my fans and to be able to meet them in person, in their homes, and share a moment with them, is a priceless experience for me. It almost felt like meeting my extended family,” shared Kapil, while Sunil said: “I am touched by the amount of love people showered on us. This whole experience has engraved itself in my core memory. I can’t stop smiling as I say this.”

The eclectic mix of guests has also worked well, with the show largely moving away from the format of inviting only those looking to promote their films on the popular platform, the only exceptions being the teams of Amar Singh Chamkila and Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, both of which are Netflix projects.

Bollywood, of course, has dominated the guest list, but there have also been cricketers Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer in one episode, while future guests include tennis icon Sania Mirza and Grammy-winning international pop star Ed Sheeran. Brothers Sunny and Bobby Deol and Vicky and Sunny Kaushal have also lent sparkle to the Kapil couch.

The show’s biggest ace? Getting the reticent and reclusive Aamir Khan to come in, for the first time ever. That episode, in which the Bollywood superstar revealed that he tuned in to Kapil’s jokes every time he felt out of sorts, has been one of the most watchable.

There have been rumours that The Great Indian Kapil Show is set to wrap up earlier than expected, but Netflix has clarified to t2 that the first season was always meant to comprise 13 episodes and that they are “gearing up” for Season 2.

Kapil Sharma, whose brand value is on the rise now more than ever, chatted with t2 on the show and what makes it tick. Excerpts.

Two years ago, you had done a special with Netflix called I’m Not Done Yet. How does aligning with Netflix for The Great Indian Kapil Show help both you and the show as a brand?

Like you mentioned, I have done a special with Netflix before and I know the kind of value Netflix as a brand adds. Aligning with Netflix, therefore, for The Great Indian Kapil Show was a gradual progression from what I was doing on television. This collaboration allows us to connect with a diverse set of audiences, not just locally but across the globe. We always felt that there is a demand for the kind of content we make in countries other than India and with the way OTT platforms are being consumed, one has access to content anytime and anywhere — the sky is the limit. Netflix bridges this gap beautifully. They are very collaborative and helped
us understand the audience better. And post the launch of The Great Indian Kapil Show, we are the only Indian show to feature on the Netflix Global Top 10 Non English TV charts for four consecutive weeks. It reassures us that we are on the right track.

The entry of Sunil Grover back to the Kapil Sharma fold is a huge win. But what made you not want to change the format of the show and go more or less with what you have done so far?

The format is something that resonates with our audience. This is our brand of comedy. So when we collaborated with Netflix, it meant a whole lot more audiences could experience this format which has been quite popular in India. It is unique to us and we wanted everyone to experience that.

Sunil paaji (Grover) coming back meant the world to all of us. The bond that we have all nurtured for over so many years translates on screen.

Does the fact that you are now catering to a Netflix audience made you change or rethink your material at any point?

Given the kind of content we make, we are constantly evaluating our material. We base our comedy on observations through our daily life, the people we meet, our experiences, and so on. No two days are the same and the same goes for our material as well. Our only goal is that our material should resonate with our audience.

From an objective point of view, why do you think the show has sustained its popularity and what do you think you can do better?

We have always believed in keeping things relatable. Whether it is the character-led antics or the conversations around everyday squabbles at
home, everyone, no matter where they are from, finds a piece of themselves in these moments. The guests who come on our show share their personal anecdotes that make them real and relatable. All this makes for a great experience for the viewers.

Like I mentioned before, the kind of content we make, we have to keep evolving. One is always learning and growing, hoping to only do better.

What are your plans in the future with The Great Indian Kapil Show?

I am looking forward to the audience reactions on the upcoming episodes. The current season is something we are all proud of. Amazing guests, many firsts and a whole lot of learning.