"Utha le re baba, utha le! Mereko nahi re, in dono ko utha le!" blurts Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in 'Hera Pheri' (2000). No matter what fancy generation tag you are enveloped in - millennial, Gen Z, or Generation Alpha - this dialogue will still make you laugh.

Comedy has always been a cherished genre in Bollywood, offering audiences an escape from their daily lives through humour and lighthearted storytelling. The Y2K was the quintessential comedic era of Hindi cinema (or Bollywood). Films like Gol Maal, Chupke Chupke, Hera Pheri, Phir Hera Pheri, Chup Chup Ke, Malamaal Weekly, De Dana Dan, Andaz Apna Apna, Welcome, Hungama, Ready, No Entry - naming all would make this para excruciatingly long.

However, in recent years, Bollywood's comedy films have taken a drastic turn for the worse. Using loud sounds for unfunny dialogues, fat-shaming jokes, crass dialogues, etc., have been overtly used tropes in recent times that need to stop if a film genuinely wants to make the audience laugh.

The 2010 Golmaal 3 was a hit and a miss, but a few scenes stand out. "Kaha Raja Bhoj aur kaha Gangu Teli?", asks Prem Chopra to Mithun Chakraborty's character Pappu. "Woh dono kaha hai mujhe nahi maloom!", blurts Pappu. In another scene, Pappu declares, "Prem Chopra sahab, jinke ghar sheeshe ke hote hain na, woh basement mein kapde badalte hain."

The timing and surprise factor of these scenes add to their comic validity. In De Dana Dan, during one of the epic confusions, Rajpal Yadav's character Dagdu asks Vikram Gokhale's character, Paramjeet Singh Lamba "Sir, shakkar kitni lenge, do chammach?" To which Lamba's displeased wife, Kamini played by Supriya Karnik asks, "Zeher hai, zeher?" The pure comic timing brings out a chuckle or two. Moreover, it has become a part of pop culture through memes.

In this article, we'll explore how Bollywood's current lot of comedy films have ruined the comedy genre. We'll analyse the problematic trends and dissect what made the 2000s and early 2010s comedies successful. More importantly, this article will shed light on how scriptwriters can reclaim the lost charm of Bollywood comedy.

Comedy's Decline and What Bollywood Did Differently?

Bollywood comedy isn't as funny and innovative today as it used to be. Films in the past achieved significant success through well-structured scripts, clever dialogues, and plenty of organic situational comedy. Hera Pheri was a masterclass because of its misunderstandings and character quirks, and Chup Chup Ke entertained audiences with mistaken identities and unpredictable events.

Today, comedies depend on many overdone expressions, ample forced physical humour, and countless unneeded background noises. Films such as Housefull 4 (2019) and Coolie No.1 (2020) placed great value on loud performances along with exceedingly absurd antics instead of actual wit.

Once executed with finesse in classics like Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and Golmaal (1979), slapstick comedy has become a mindless gimmicks. The humour in Golmaal Again (2017) feels intensely forced and juvenile because of excessive sound effects, wildly exaggerated reactions, and undeniably absurd elements, such as ghosts and flying objects.

A few other issues are the rise in offensive humour, including typical fat-shaming, misogyny, and jokes targeted at every marginalised group. Of course, past films did contain problematic moments, but modern comedies frequently mock appearances and disabilities in an exceptionally tasteless manner. Dhamaal (2007) and Housefull 3 (2016) relied on fat jokes to gain laughs, while Grand Masti (2013) objectified all women through limitless vulgar humour.

Comedies from 2000-2010 also thoroughly explored many new and original premises rather than simply reusing older formulas. For example, Delhi Belly (2011) was entirely funny and embraced dark comedy, a scarce genre in Bollywood. Many filmmakers today seem hesitant to experiment, and all prefer to recycle old ideas instead of taking risks.

Audience cannot Relate to the Characters

Many relate to the comedies from the 2000s because of their relatable and memorable characters. Since the humour of Baburao from Hera Pheri, Circuit from Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., and Lucky from Golmaal came from their personalities rather than forced gimmicks, they became fan favourites.

This level of depth is frequently absent from many recent Bollywood comedies. Characters turn into basic caricatures and just do exaggerated comedy. Their backgrounds, motivations, and quirks are not developed well. They depend on truly exaggerated antics instead of making every audience member laugh through their personalities. Bollywood should create believable and deeply layered characters to revive its comedy genre instead of depending on excessively over-the-top performances.

Clever Script over Star Power

Another key problem is that Bollywood relies, to a great extent on celebrity appeal in place of quality scripts. Even though relatively lesser-known actors were in them, comedies in the early 2000s did very well because the scripts were remarkably well-developed. Bheja Fry (2007) showcases how a simple story, made better by great acting, can be much funnier than most high-budget comedies.

Bollywood often sidelines all storytelling while it relies increasingly on many big names to draw huge audiences. Films like Judwaa 2 (2017) and Coolie No. 1 (2020) entirely relied on Varun Dhawan’s presence, and without a funny and engaging script, the films were incredibly predictable and extremely easy to forget. Bollywood's absence of faith in any good writing is widely reflected in the pervasive assumption that all audiences will laugh simply because every superstar is on screen.

Bollywood Films to Watch to Tickle Your Funny Bone

Padosan (1968): This is among the greatest comedy films ever. With help from his pals, a simple guy falls in love with his lovely neighbour and tries to impress her as she gets closer to her music teacher. Music mixed well with fun. The singing contests featuring Sunil Dutt's and Mehmood's characters have become legendary. Kishore Kumar is, without a doubt, the only heart and soul of this entire comedy.

Chupke Chupke (1975): It is fondly remembered, indeed, for the genuinely comic chemistry between Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan, which came right after the iconic Sholay. The exceptionally amusing film tells a delightful tale of a husband who plays an outrageous practical prank on his wife’s father. Hrishikesh Mukherjee is the king of situational comedy, so this particular offering is among his best and is a singular work.

Gol Maal (1979): Both audiences and critics rave about this film, which is considered among Bollywood's best comedy films. Such confusion was never so deeply funny as a job hunt, a ridiculous fake moustache, and a chaotic hockey match. Utpal Dutt’s shrieks and loud laughter remain a legend.

Chashme Buddoor (1981): Two roommates fall for the same girl while only one wins her heart. Every event between those people earnestly trying to cause a split and a genuinely joyous conclusion is filled with great laughter. Chashme Buddoor was relevant to the early 1980s, along with an abundance of laughs.

Andaz Apna Apna (1994): Aamir Khan and Salman Khan won countless hearts because of their unforgettable fellowship. Karisma Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Paresh Rawal (in a dual role), and Shakti Kapoor are featured in essential roles in this comedy-drama. Many dialogues from the film, with all well-known lines such as “Galti se mishtake ho gaya” and “Crime Master Gogo naam hai mera, aankhen nikal ke gotiyan khelti hun main,” will stay in pop culture throughout time.

Chachi 420 (1997): A truly messy plot, with a father-in-law falling in love with his son-in-law, disguised as a lady, makes this one evil ride. Kamal Hassan gave it his all in this very likeable comedy, even if it was similar to Robin Williams’ Mrs. Doubfire.

Hera Pheri Series: Hera Pheri is one of many remakes of the 1989 Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking. The series is a cult classic—the film centres on a dangerous kidnapping involving a particularly troublesome trio. The sequel, Phir Hera Pheri, is a laugh riot.

Munna Bhai Series: Munna Bhai will be remembered as a truly iconic modern character. In the first instalment of this hit series, Munna Bhai MBBS, an underworld don, stormed a medical college. In the second, Lageraho Munna Bhai, Gandhigiri and its relevance to modern society took centre stage. All of the most dedicated fans still enthusiastically await the third instalment.

Hungama (2003): A fantastic movie with a hilarious script. The stories, shown in a very understanding manner, run parallel. The actors put their heart and soul into it, so everything seems natural.

Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006): Golmaal is outrageously funny as its plot is rib-tickling and absurd. The incredible chemistry shared by Devgan, Kapoor, Warsi, and Sharman Joshi—the four leading actors—is the charming element of the movie, more so than just the storyline.

Malamaal Weekly (2006): This movie is a real treasure. It is undoubtedly adventurous and hilarious. With a plot equal to an epic sitcom, one can expect nothing superior from every decidedly low-budget movie like this one. Despite its limited budget, the movie features many funny characters, notably several of the best in the business, such as Paresh Rawal, Ritesh Deshmukh, Rajpal Yadav, Shakti Kapoor, Om Puri, and Asrani. No comedy of higher quality is conceivable.

Bheja Fry (2007): A small-budget film, several situational comedy instances, and excellent acting ability testify that a great movie can still be made with zero real script. The actors do not experiment much; instead, they remain within their limitations, making this movie genuinely funny.

Welcome (2007): Welcome is a generational comedy and a silly, hilarious film. Although Akshay Kumar might appear to be the central figure due to the cast, Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor, acting as the hilarious pair Uday and Majnu, carry nearly the entire movie, save for a few scenes. Paresh Rawal is invariably funny, and his depiction of a stressed uncle suits him exceedingly well. Malika Sherawat was a surprise package.

3 Idiots (2009): This Bollywood blockbuster was ahead of its time. It is a thoroughly amusing comedy featuring compelling acting, absolutely unforgettable characters, a perplexing storyline, and, most importantly, a profoundly motivational movie to choose the correct path in your life.

Delhi Belly (2011) is a story about fighting roommates and a merciless mobster, combined with lots of humour and action.

How Should Bollywood Write a Funny Film?

Bollywood’s comedy genre has suffered quite acutely in recent years. It relies excessively on obvious slapstick, forced sound effects, and offensive jokes instead of truly well-written humour. To revive the genre, scriptwriters must focus on situational, character-driven, and clever comedy. Rather than every overly exaggerated reaction or truly unfunny noise, they should concentrate on many clever dialogues, consistently well-timed punchlines, and humour that emerges organically from the plot.

A joke's structure features a setup and a punchline, fully developing audience expectations and emotions to create tension, anxiety, or nervous energy. Scriptwriters can establish tension through exaggeration and irony, generating many powerful emotions; conversely, important under-exaggeration can spark multiple neutral or positive feelings, for example, pity or confusion.

The script must be universally original and relatable to connect with an audience truly. Use everyday, ordinary experiences, such as TV dinners or observational humour, to explore humour from multiple angles. Facial expressions and bodily gestures considerably convey authenticity and realism, while tone and volume substantially affect the comedic scene.

Films like Hera Pheri (2000) and Chup Chup Ke (2006) succeeded because their comedy was based on common confusion, abundant irony, and the quirks of relatable characters.

Filmmakers use rhythm and pace to affect how the audience interacts overall. Faster tempos provide more comedic relief, while slower tempos create tension. Prudent pacing management is an undeniably important technique for a funny script.

One must remember to create characters with many strengths and who are thoroughly well-made rather than using gimmicks that feel somewhat forced. Early 2000s comedies presented truly unforgettable main characters who possessed particularly special traits, such as Raju’s outstanding cleverness in Hera Pheri and Circuit’s constant faithfulness in Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.

Today's writers should take note of this. They can carefully develop characters whose humour stems from their imperfections and relationships rather than their looks or greatly exaggerated behaviour. Rather than always fat-shaming or routinely mocking disabilities, Bollywood should use observational humour, situational misunderstandings, and clever wordplay.

Pyaar Ka Punchnama (2011) resonated with many audiences because its humour reflected the real relationship struggles of everyday life. It achieved total relatability while remaining not at all offensive. If writers use witty, original humour and avoid tired clichés, Bollywood’s comedy genre can once again be charming.

Good comedy requires imaginative writing that plays with expectations and surprises the audience, not humiliation or outdated stereotypes.

The Takeaway

Bollywood has undoubtedly tarnished the comedy genre, choosing cheap laughs over brilliant stories. The decline of genuinely clever humour, the extremely excessive overuse of slapstick, a particularly unhealthy reliance on star power, and deeply offensive jokes have all fueled the downfall of a once beloved genre. Bollywood can revive comedy and bring back all of the charm that once made countless audiences laugh by learning from nearly all of the successes of the past.

Comedy should be witty, all-embracing, and engaging; it should not be a tool that makes someone feel lesser or reinforces stereotypes. Gol Maal (1979), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), and Hera Pheri (2000) are truly funny films that highlight humour stemming from difficult relationship struggles, silly misunderstandings, and sharp social observations, all while excluding offensive content.

Filmmakers should decide to stop underestimating the accuracy and intelligence of the audience. Viewers enjoy both clever humour and stories blending comedy with compelling storytelling, but these are lacking in modern comedies.

Comedy needs to be inclusive. Bollywood should avoid sexist, fat-shaming, and regressive humour and use observational, satirical, and social humour whenever possible. The humour of many Indian viewers has unequivocally changed, evolving quite considerably. The industry must recognise this shift and produce content that reflects current preferences.

To revive the dying state of comedy in Bollywood, filmmakers can focus on better writing, more complete characters, and humour that genuinely relates with viewers. Bollywood should invest in a collection of talented writers and many new ideas. Until then, viewers will keep returning to the classics, missing the wit and brilliance that made Bollywood comedies unforgettable.