'I am yet to get any official communication from the channel'
Politician and television personality Navjot Singh Sidhu, who will reportedly be replaced on The Kapil Sharma Show, says he’s unaware of the development. The channel took the decision to replace him with actor Archana Puran Singh as his comments after the Pulwama terror attack irked some netizens and hashtags #boycottSidhu and #boycottkapilsharmashow were trending. Many even sought his ouster from the show and the Punjab cabinet.
Condemning the attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel, the 55-year-old politician had said “terrorists do not have deen, mazhab (sect and religion)”, adding that one couldn’t blame an entire nation for such attacks. He also called for a “dialogue to find a permanent solution to end the bloodshed.”
Though the channel is yet to issue a statement, a source confirms the move. “It is unnecessarily affecting the show, so Sidhu will no longer be associated with Kapil’s show. We are in talks with Archana to replace him,” says the source, adding they had “already shot a bank of episodes with Sidhu, and now, the creative team will decide how to go about this.”
However, when we contacted Archana, she was “clueless” about it. “I don’t have any information about replacing Sidhu. I got to know from the media that this is happening. I’m yet to get any official communication from the channel and creative heads of the show,” she says. She adds that she had shot for two episodes on February 9 and 13, “but that was before the Pulwama terror attack”.
However, Sidhu, on his part, says he will stick by his comments. Sidhu uploaded a video on Twitter saying: “I had to attend Vidhan Sabha’s session due to which I couldn’t go for the shoots of The Kapil Sharma Show and they got somebody else in my replacement for two episodes. I have no intimation about my termination from the channel. If it is regarding my statement, I will stick to what I have been saying yesterday, today and ever tomorrow.”
A few cast members of the show were shocked by the sudden development. Actor Sumona Chakravarti, who is part of Kapil’s show, feels it is “unfortunate” that remarks on a sensitive issue can affect one’s career. “I’m not aware of the replacement. Only the channel can reveal the plan. Every celebrity will have an opinion on the tragic incident but that definitely should not affect one’s show,” she says.
Comedian Bharti Singh echoes her sentiment. “It is sad to know that Sidhuji won’t be part of the show anymore. I have no official information about the replacement, though. On our next shoot, on February 20, we will get to know who will sit on the ‘master’ seat.”
Kapil was not available for comment.
I don’t have any information about replacing Sidhu. ARCHANA PURAN SINGH ACTOR