Testing & Disciplining the Comedians in India

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?- Akshra Mehla

A complex interaction of humour, freedom of speech and notions of morality has been brought to the limelight with the recent controversies anent stand-up comedians in India, especially by Kunal Kamra, Vir Das, Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahabadia etc. This piece explores the attacks on stand-up comedy using the theoretical lens of Mikhail Bakhtin.

The figure of a comedian tests the limits of how certain notions are deemed acceptable in a particular social sphere. This questioning and testing of the limits is the cause of the controversial debates about free speech & censorship. In his work, ‘The Rabelais and His World’, Mikhail Bakhtin argues that comedy has immense potential for subverting the established hierarchies, which makes the concept of carnivalesque of utmost importance. The ‘carnivalesque’ is simply a spectacle where binaries and social hierarchies are suspended, though temporarily. Bakhtin throws light on the inherent nature of humour to challenge the dominant norms and hierarchies through various means – laughter, satire, parody, grotesque realism etc. Comedy as a carnival, then is a means to question the dominant values of society, invert the orders established by the powerful and free the individuals from the everyday constraints of norms governing us. Applying this framework to the Indian context highlights the ways in which stand-up comedians, through their performances, engage in a form of social critique that resonates with the spirit of the carnivalesque, but is often viewed differently. However, the line between playful subversion and outright transgression is often blurred, leading to accusations of disrespect, obscenity, and incitement of social disharmony. This ambiguity is further complicated by the diverse cultural and political landscape of India, where different groups hold varying sensitivities and perceptions of what constitutes acceptable humour.

Commentaries made by comedians, according to Bakhtin, invert the accepted order, mock the dominant discourse, and give voice to the things that cannot be said or thought of. It questions the dominant ideology and traditional values, creating a momentary space for alternative voices and perspectives to be heard. For instance, Kunal Kamra has been known for his poignant stands against the ruling party, the judiciary, the elites and the capitalists. He is known for using satire and parody to question and challenge the political and social schema of Indian society. Very recently, a parody by him of Eknath Shinde caused a hue and cry, which led to vandalisation of the venue. Similarly, Vir Das has also been under fire for his show called ‘I come from two Indias’ where he tried to bring to light the polar binaries as existing in Indian society regarding gender, freedom of speech and expression, censorship, etc. He was painted as a “terrorist” for the poem and many defamation charges were also filed against him. In an earlier controversy over his jokes on the lawyer community, the

Delhi High Court in Ashutosh Dubey vs Netflix iterated a similar sentiment regarding exaggeration used as a technique by stand-up comedians to bring to light the ills in society.

“One of the satirical techniques to criticise a particular subject or character is to exaggerate it beyond normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen. Satire is a work of art. It is a literary work that ridicules its subject through the use of techniques like exaggeration. It is a witty, ironic and often exaggerated portrayal of a subject.”

Similarly, the comments made by Ranveer Allahabadia on the show “India’s Got Talent” opened the discursive formations that are associated with taboos like sex in Indian society. Such statements on sexual activities between parent-figures, using grotesque language, are precisely what Bakhtin argues to be the use of grotesque realism. This has the potential to suspend all the hierarchies and notions of decency, therefore liberating the audience from the dominant perspective. The usage of such grotesque language has a regenerative force. It connects the materiality of the human world to its earthy beginnings, which are not considered worthy of discussion in sophisticated societies. All these comedians have faced backlash, criminal cases against them for pushing the limits of the dominant narratives of society.

Comedy, according to Bakhtin, has a close connection with carnival spirit - it brings everyone to the same level through laughter and sometimes grotesque realism as well. It creates a new world where relations are not based on hierarchical structures, rather it is aimed not just at “others” but also at the one who makes the joke, thereby flattening all binaries. For instance, Vir Das in his stand-up events, takes jibes at the duality in the behaviour and practices peculiar to us, Indians. We are all laughing not at an abstract category of “others”, but at oneself. There is a creation of ‘wholeness of the world' through such subversion of hierarchies by laughing about the hypocritical and flawed nature of human beings. Also, joking about the human body and basic human activities including sexual intercourse, connects us back to the earth, as Bakhtin points. This connection renews us as human beings. Laughing at such common human experiences makes everyone equal; it breaks away the societal separation of humans through social status. Hence, these jokes made about sexual experiences do not possess a negative connotation, rather they act as a regenerative force. In cases of political satire or parody as used by Kunal Kamra, postmodernism as an ideology, delves into how disciplinary power ensures self-regulation and censorship amongst subjects. This notion throws light on the techniques of power that may be employed to curtail comedic expressions to ensure that dominant discourse continues to thrive. Such notions of normalisation present us with a nuanced knowledge of the subtle means of operation of power through internalisation of norms and self-regulation. Various legal actions in the form of FIRs filed against comedians, extreme harassment on online platforms, censoring of their content or vandalization of public property/venues of the events are some instances that showcase the manner in which disciplinary power strives for conformity by totalizing the

population. This gets ameliorated by the negotiation of national identity, closely connected with ideas of national unity and cohesion.

Comedy, then, is a function of resistance to such dominant, totalizing powers. It subverts the hierarchies and widely accepted and unquestioned norms, which further nourishes a democratic society. Comedy, in its essence, has the potential to unearth the unstated assumptions on which societies are built and are thriving; it topples the objectivity in information as being given to us; it creates a parallel second world where subversion and resistance happen. In instances where comedians are being targeted for the grotesqueness of the jokes, or for questioning the powerful, elite sections of society, a deeper understanding of what constitutes the comedian, and the grotesque is the need of the hour. The grotesque is not necessarily a negative emotion, rather as stated earlier, it has a positive element of regeneration and renewal through not just a rejection, but also a subversion of hierarchies.

Disclaimer :-The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author's and do not represent the views or positions of the institution.

References

Bakhtin, M. 1984. Rabelais and His World. Translated by H. Iswolsky. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Perera, S., & Pathak, D. N. (2021). Humour and the Performance of Power in 365体育直播 Asia: Anxiety, Laughter and Politics in Unstable Times (1st ed.). Routledge India.

Powell, C., & Paton, G. E. C. (Eds.). (1988). Humour in Society: Resistance and Control. Palgrave Macmillan UK.

Scott, J.C. 1990. Domination and the Arts of Resistance: Hidden Transcript. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Siegel, L. (1989). Laughing Matters: Comic Tradition in India. Motilal Banarsidass.