January 13th, 2009
Swapnil Joshi is returning to fiction after 3 years with NDTV Imagine’s sitcom Ghar Ki Baat Hai, a slice of life take on every day affairs of a normal family. He denies that its a copy of Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, “you can’t compare shows. What matter finally is that the public should like the show?” Swapnil who has done several sitcoms such as Had Kar Di, Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, accepts that one of the reasons for staying away from fiction for so long was the lack of interesting stuff. He felt that his last comedy show, Kadvee Khatee Meethi on Star One did well within its limitation. “Unfortunately that show did not percolate to the masses, which I am sure Ghar Ki Baat Hai will do,” speaks Swapnil.
In between this Marathi mulga, had been bit by the reality bug. He had won SET’s Mr and Ms Television, along with Purbi Joshi. He had also anchored a marriage show along with Nausheen Ali Sardar. But his moment of fame came with Comedy Circus 1, where he and partner VIP finished runner up. On certain jokes being below the belt, a defensive Swapnil says, “such things are very subjective. What may appear offensive to me might be okay to you. But on the whole we try to make sure that the audience does not get offended.” He accepts that the Comedy Circus (he took part in the recent Kante Ki Takkar version as well) journey has helped him to hone his comic timing, “the format is a combination of theater and television as you have to perform your gags live and then get instant feedback from the judges “. He is also part of the latest version of Comedy Circus, Chinchpokli to China “This is interesting in the sense that there is no completion; rather you have an ensemble cast of celebs who come and perform,” says Swapnil.
Swapnil who entered the TV scene as Ramanand Sagar’s Sri Krishna feels, “there is not much difference in mytho content over the years, for you can’t change these text, but yet I have noticed that the presentation and costume are quite up-market these days”. He further adds that the public was a bit harsh on Ekta Kapoor’s Mahabharat.” Had she succeeded in her attempt to think out of the box, she would have been praised big time, but alas that was not to be,” shares the actor.
Swapnil says that one of the reasons that he is not always in the news since he prefers to let his work speak, “I am not like others, who party a lot, or boast about their Kashmir trip or cry about their dog dying. I am contented known that I have always had work for that past 10 years and that’s important enough for me”.