"They surrounded me... my strength and courage were broken": Sunil Pal on comedy show appearance

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 14 : Veteran stand-up comedian and actor Sunil Pal has alleged that he felt "targeted" and emotionally cornered during one of his appearances on a comedy television show, claiming that the experience left him deeply upset.
In a recent interview with ANI, Pal recalled his appearances on a comedy show and said he had always shared a cordial relationship with the host.
"I have been to Kapil Sharma's show 5 times. Kapil calls me. He is my dear friend. I respect Kapil. Kapil told me to come to the show," he said.
However, speaking about a particular episode, Pal alleged that he was not informed beforehand that he would be expected to perform stand-up comedy during the segment.
"It was a normal conversation. I thought this is also a format. I didn't know that I will be called for a stand-up. And I will be trolled," he said.
Pal further alleged that he later felt the makers had intentionally attempted to mock him during the show.
"Then I came to know that in such a big show, why was Sunil Pal called? Because they wanted to target Sunil Pal. They wanted to insult Sunil Pal and make themselves big, they wanted to insult me," he alleged.
The comedian also claimed that he felt isolated during the segment and said the atmosphere on the set affected his confidence.
"Archana Puran Singh is not laughing. Sidhu is also saying that... They surrounded me. They told me to do anything. My strength and courage were broken," he alleged.
Pal further claimed that portions of his act were edited out while moments showing his discomfort were highlighted for comic effect. "They highlighted my insult so much like there was no punch like this before," he added.
Apart from the incident, Pal also criticised what he described as the increasing use of vulgarity and abusive language in stand-up comedy performances. Without naming any particular comedian, he questioned the growing popularity of content centred around profanity.
"Seeing this, others will also want to become a stand-up comedian. I don't want to do anything else. I just want to abuse. I want to talk about vulgar things," he said.
The comedian added that he had also received offers involving abusive humour but chose not to pursue such content. "We get offers every day. But we think that no, we don't have to sell our conscience for money," he said.
Reflecting on his own career, Pal said he has always preferred clean and family-oriented comedy. "From 9 years to 90 years, with the whole family, we have done thousands of shows. And we get the love of the whole family," he said.
Commenting on the present comedy landscape, Pal alleged that controversies are increasingly being used as a publicity strategy.
"Their target is to do something like this. In which there is a case on them. It comes in the news. By doing this, they have moved forward," he alleged.
Despite his criticism, Pal praised several legendary comedians and acknowledged Kapil Sharma's stature in the entertainment industry.
"Not everyone is Johnny Lever. Not everyone is Umar Sharif. Not everyone is KK Nayakar. Not everyone is Kapil Sharma. You need centuries to become like them. Such artists are born after centuries," he said.