There was a time when comedy in Bollywood was treated as a serious craft. Directors, writers, and performers worked with instinct, rhythm, and timing to create laughter that felt effortless yet enduring. For nearly a decade, filmmakers like David Dhawan delivered consistent blockbusters, proving that comedy was not accidental—it was designed, refined, and executed with precision.
Yet today, comedy is treated as an afterthought. Despite being one of the most difficult genres to master, it is often dismissed as something that can be “tried” casually. This casual approach has cost Bollywood dearly.
Comedy Has Not Evolved—It Has Regressed
Every major genre in Hindi cinema has evolved over the last five decades. Action films became more technical and stylised. Horror developed atmosphere and psychological depth. Crime thrillers gained realism and intensity. Writing improved, production values rose, and storytelling matured.
Comedy, however, moved in the opposite direction.
From classics like Bhoot Bungla (1965), Padosan (1968), Bombay to Goa (1972), Golmaal (1979), Angoor (1982), Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), and Andaz Apna Apna (1994), the industry has descended into an era dominated by hollow spectacles such as Judwaa 2, Coolie No. 1, Circus, Housefull 4 and 5, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3, Humshakhs, and several others. The contrast is not subtle—it is alarming.
The Death of the Sidekick Comedian
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Until the early 2000s, Bollywood comedy thrived on the chemistry between the lead actor and a dedicated comic performer. While stars brought box-office pull, sidekick comedians brought character, rhythm, and soul.
Legends like Johnny Walker, Keshto Mukherjee, Mehmood, Ashok Saraf, Raza Murad, Shakti Kapoor, and Kader Khan shaped comedy through distinctive personas. Johnny Lever carried that legacy forward almost single-handedly for two decades. Rajpal Yadav became the last notable torchbearer of this tradition.
Today, that entire ecosystem has vanished. Modern comedy films demand that the lead actor not only be the hero but also monopolise every punchline. The result is flat humour and forced performances, devoid of contrast or balance.
When “Brain-Rot” Comedy Actually Worked
Lowbrow or absurd comedy is not a new phenomenon. Films from earlier decades contained plenty of nonsensical humor—but they worked because of performance, timing, and improvisation.
Scenes involving Kader Khan and Govinda, whether in Maa Beti, Ishq, or Hadh Kar Di Aapne, remain iconic. Over half of their comedy might be labeled “brain-rot” today, yet it succeeded because it was alive. Much of it was improvised—expressions, pauses, gestures, and reactions that were never written into scripts.
Modern actors rarely improvise. Instead, they deliver loud, repetitive dialogue mistaken for humor. Even performers with strong comedic legacies have diluted their impact by participating in poorly written projects.
Earlier, even the silliest comedies produced unforgettable characters. Today, one watches a comedy film and questions how it ever received approval.
Where Did the Iconic Characters Go?
Bollywood comedy once gave audiences characters that lived far beyond their films:
Chhota Pandit, Baburao Ganpatrao Apte, Crime Master Gogo, Vasooli Bhai, Fayaz Takkar, Chhota Don.
These were not just roles—they were cultural references, defined by quirks, catchphrases, and personality. For over a decade now, such characters have been entirely absent.
Instead of creating new icons, the industry recycles old ones. Actors are brought back to repeat performances from 20–25 years ago, often without context or freshness. This creative stagnation strips comedy of its spontaneity.
The repeated revival of Chhota Pandit in newer installments of Bhool Bhulaiyaa exemplifies this problem. What once felt natural now feels mechanical, as if imitation alone could recreate magic.
Nostalgia Is Replacing Creativity
Modern comedy films rely heavily on nostalgia instead of invention. Sequels and spin-offs attempt to recreate the “vibe” of earlier successes without understanding why those films worked.
New characters are introduced, but none become memorable. They lack defining traits, catchphrases, or emotional grounding. Instead, performances mimic older stars, creating a cycle where even veteran actors begin copying their own past selves.
Comedy writing has shifted away from real-life observation. Earlier characters were inspired by people audiences recognized from everyday life. Today, jokes are lifted directly from internet memes.
What once became memes organically is now reverse-engineered back into films, stripping humor of originality and relevance.
Writing Is the Core Crisis
This approach ignores a fundamental truth: generational humor has changed. Comedy that appeals to older audiences often feels outdated to millennials and Gen Z. Yet scripts continue to rely on WhatsApp-style jokes while dismissing sharper, observational humor.
Ironically, new-age writers with proven comedic vision remain underutilized, while repetitive, uninspired writing continues to receive large-scale backing.
The Missed Opportunity of Alternative Comedy
There was a brief phase when well-written, grounded comedies flourished—films like Khosla Ka Ghosla, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, Bheja Fry, Vicky Donor, and Honeymoon Travels. These films proved that intelligent humor could succeed without loud spectacle.
That movement, too, faded.
Today, the strongest comedy writing exists almost exclusively on OTT platforms. Series such as Panchayat, Gullak, Guns & Gulaabs, College Romance, and Mamla Legal Hai demonstrate what is possible when writers are trusted. Even a fraction of this quality entering mainstream cinema could transform Bollywood comedy.
A Shrinking Space for Humor
Instead of innovation, the industry doubles down on sequels that offer nothing new. Political or satirical humor is dismissed, while cheap innuendo is mislabeled as “clean comedy.” The creative space for laughter continues to narrow.
Meanwhile, regional industries are handling comedy with far greater confidence and clarity, proving that the genre itself is not dying—only its treatment in Bollywood is.
Conclusion
The current trajectory suggests that formulaic sequels, recycled jokes, and nostalgia-driven projects will continue. Star power will remain the priority, while writing takes a back seat.
Comedy deserves better. When treated with respect, it becomes timeless. When treated casually, it collapses into noise. Over the past decade, Bollywood comedy has largely chosen the latter path—and the cost of that choice is painfully visible.
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