‘Bindas’ Uttar Pradesh gives me a lot of content: Rajeev Nigam - Hindustan Times
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‘Bindas’ Uttar Pradesh gives me a lot of content: Rajeev Nigam

Hindustan Times, Kanpur | ByDeep Saxena
Feb 20, 2018 02:46 PM IST

Popular stand-up comedian and writer Rajeev Nigam, who hails from Kanpur, looks back at his home state for content as he feels people of Uttar Pradesh are ‘bindaas’ and fun-loving.

Popular stand-up comedian and writer Rajeev Nigam, who hails from Kanpur, looks back at his home state for content as he feels people of Uttar Pradesh are ‘bindaas’ and fun-loving.

Comedian and writer Rajeev Nigam.(HT Photo)
Comedian and writer Rajeev Nigam.(HT Photo)

“Besides the immense love that I get from this part of the country, what I take back is loads of content,” says Nigam on his recent visit to Lucknow.

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“The good thing here is that people are very carefree and take things lightly. ‘Yahan log mauj lene main bahut mahir hain’. And, in lighter moments I get a lot of content here which I don’t get easily anywhere else. Yeh bindaas-pana, masti aur prem…you don’t get it easily,” says Nigam who has written for yesteryears famous talk show Movers and Shakers.

Nigam connects with that happy-go-lucky attitude.

“In fact I prefer to do serious things in lighter way. And, that’s what we give to the audience — bigger issues in a lighter way! With ‘hasya’ (comedy) we have ‘vyang’ (satire) and ‘samasyaein’ (problems) we have layered it all,” he says talking about his upcoming comedy show Har Shakh Pe Ullu Baitha Hai.

In the show, he will be playing chief minister Chaitu Lal of a fictitious state.

“We have not talked about any individual politician, party or government. It has problems faced by commoners. It is not a heavy satire. It has kitchen politics as well. It’s being told in a manner easy for all starting from kids, youths, women to senior citizens,” he says.

On why politics? he says:“This is the thing which is affecting us most. This is the thing on which no one is asking questions. Since, ages we did not have a single show that talked about politics, made you laugh and raised a few questions. It’s a hard satire in soft way wrapped in different flavours.”

“This show is by Ashwani Dhir (Lapataganj writer), who is himself a great writer, and I am collaborating with him with my writing and experience. Content is the king in the show. We all are just playing different characters. But, we will not have people dressed in saree-suits with daadi-naani jumping around,” he says taking an apparent dig at popular comedian Kapil Sharma’s show.

Playing a chief minister may bring trouble to him but he is unfazed.

“I have a lot of courage. In fact, we all have it. Those who work with full honesty don’t fear. We are not doing or showing anything wrong. Our aim is not to target anyone particular. We have created a new world. This state, characters and acts are combination of research and observations of several years cutting across various states and governments,” says Nigam who has also written for Pol Khol.

In the show, Samta Sagar plays his wife while Ishtiyak Khan is his brother-in-law.

“Our focus is more on pool of actor. Characters have been given more importance than glamour quotient so that people can relate to them,” he says.

Besides, Rajeev has three films lined up for release.

“In the next few months my film Dosti Zindabad will hit the screens. Directed by 100 Days and Angisakshi maker Parto Ghosh, the film has been shot in Lucknow only. I have a very good role in it. Next will be Virgin Bhanupriya which has Urvashi Rautela as lead and I have a good character role with Archana Puran Singh. Sunny Deol’s Bhaiyaji Superhit, which has been delayed for very long, will too come soon,” he says.

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