A sad day in the world of laughter
Neelam Mansingh
Chowdhry, noted theatre artiste and director, remembers Jaspal Bhatti and the humour he patented I knew Jaspal Bhatti for almost 25 years. He was one of the first people I met in Chandigarh, and I found him very open and generous. His acceptance of people spoke of his large-heartedness. That he is gone is yet to sink in.
His humour was hypnotic — sharp and full of ingenuity. There was no anger or venom. It hit without being offensive. A walking newspaper, his imagination took off every time there was an event that mattered. Be it vegetable price rise or the political situation, he was on the spot and spot on.
He found his space in cinema without being typecast. As a filmmaker, his work was a social mirror that made people smile. His street theatre, stand-up comedy, jokes, cartoons and films were extensions of each other.
The tremendous goodwill he generated helped him in the world of cinema. He could get Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Om Puri to agree to work for him.
His film “Power Cut”, to be released on Friday, pokes fun at the electricity crisis in Punjab. People worked with him because they trusted him to make them look good.
His film training school, MAD Arts, runs on the latest technology. He gave students proper facilities and a fine platform to learn.
The wound created by his death is too raw to open a debate on his legacy. Only time will tell whether there will be another Jaspal Bhatti. But today is a sad day in the world of laughter.
I say for him what was said of Charlie Chaplin when he died: an entire era is gone.