Laughter and entertainment reigned supreme as Netflix’s ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ trio—Archana Puran Singh, Krushna Abhishek, and Rajiv Thakur—visited Indore, Madhya Pradesh, for a special show. In an exclusive conversation with Mathrubhumi, they delved into the art of cross-dressing comedy, addressing criticism around it and its enduring popularity. With humour and insight, they shared perspectives on this timeless humour trope, with Thakur highlighting actor-comedian Sunil Grover's pivotal role in popularising cross-dressing and elevating its appeal.

Actors such as Kiku Sharda, Ali Asgar, Grover, Abhishek, and Thakur, among others, are some of the names who made crossing-dressing normal over the years. When asked how it felt about the time these actors, including him, started cross-dressing, Thakur said, “Cross dressing was started by Grover. He played a Punjabi girl character in ‘Comedy Circus.’ We also used to do cross-dressing in the show, but after doing one episode, we forgot about it. We did not make it a permanent character. However, Grover established his Punjabi girl character permanently, like people do in daily soaps.”

Although cross-dressing has gained popularity in recent times, with audiences accepting such characters, there has also been criticism around it. Addressing the criticism, Archana said, “Many people have criticised us, saying that men are turned into women on Kapil Sharma’s show and that it is obscene. I want to say that this has been going on since ancient times in our Natya Shastra. If you take William Shakespeare also, then in his plays, women didn’t do theatre back then, so men had to act as women characters. In our Indian culture, men have also played so many roles by portraying women. If we are doing the same, then what is obscene in it? It is an art form. It is an accepted and much loved art form.”

Adding more about the success of cross-dressing that has made it popular among the audiences, Thakur said, “I don't know about criticism, but people love it so much that even today, the character that Grover did first as a crossdresser, the audience demands him to perform it again and again.”

Grover's portrayal of Guthi has captivated audiences and celebrities alike across multiple shows. His female characters, particularly romantic comedy sketches with Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor, have garnered immense admiration.