The Laughter Queen of India brings happiness into every room she enters. But growing up, her life wasn’t filled with laughter. In a candid conversation with Neena Gupta, Bharti Singh opened up about her unlikely start in comedy and her love of food and family. Watch #Normal by Brut and Galaxy ® Milk Chocolates.
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00:00Even when we go to shows, people still misbehave with us.
00:02Hey fatso!
00:03I don't know who among 10,000 people said this.
00:06But who is the person who is getting peace by saying this?
00:09Look at me. I am fat.
00:11When the girls of India were being controlled by their laughter,
00:16then this girl from Amritsar, Punjab,
00:19told the TV audience that
00:21laughter is not only for boys.
00:26Even Lalli can do this.
00:30Hello, I am Leena Gupta, your host of Brute's brand new show, Normal,
00:40powered by Galaxy Milk Chocolates.
00:42Thank you, ma'am.
00:44Why are you doing this?
00:46I watch every video of yours on Instagram, ma'am.
00:50Which city are you going to?
00:52Which hill station?
00:53Where are you showing apples?
00:54Where are oranges?
00:55Where are purses?
00:56I have seen everything.
00:59To be honest, you are the one who has boosted my mom.
01:03Really?
01:04To be honest,
01:064-5 years ago, I used to think that girls are not comedians.
01:15And now, it has come a lot.
01:17I think you started the trend, right?
01:19Even before me, it was a lot.
01:21But people didn't let me go ahead.
01:23What are you doing?
01:24What you said about me,
01:26what are you doing?
01:27Where is the dupatta?
01:28If you get a vibe, you will say,
01:29let's go inside.
01:30Why are we inside?
01:31Why were we born?
01:32If we are inside,
01:33then these things happen a lot.
01:35But today's girls are a lot.
01:36But what you have done,
01:38the part of the comedian that the girl is doing,
01:41you have made her a heroine.
01:43My focus was,
01:46my focus was poverty.
01:48I was 2 years old,
01:49my father expired.
01:50My siblings left me to study.
01:52They used to work in a factory, ma'am.
01:55That blanket,
01:57we don't even use it.
01:59We donate it.
02:00Those cheque ones,
02:01we call them side-away.
02:03My brother used to bring 6 blankets on his head,
02:05my sister, my mother.
02:07And I used to play,
02:08broken,
02:09with boxes,
02:10with brush.
02:11So, I used to sit and fill it up all night.
02:13In Punjabi, it is called Vatna.
02:15So, I used to keep filling it up.
02:16Sometimes, I used to bring my mother's dupatta
02:18and use it in the machine.
02:20The sound of the machine,
02:22the smell of the blanket,
02:23I still hate it.
02:25Then I thought,
02:26ma'am,
02:27I have seen poverty with my family,
02:29but not anymore.
02:31You can see,
02:32how many comedians,
02:33you can search their background,
02:34everyone was poor.
02:36There is no comedy in poverty.
02:38Because,
02:39in poverty,
02:40there were such situations,
02:41that I can't tell you.
02:42People used to eat half an apple
02:43and throw it in the garbage.
02:44So, I used to think,
02:45he will feel guilty,
02:46he didn't finish it.
02:48If I pick it up,
02:49cut that part,
02:50and eat that part,
02:51I can't even think about it.
02:53They didn't value it.
02:54We never got a full apple to eat.
02:56There was so much hunger inside,
02:58so much poverty.
02:59People come to festivals,
03:01children are happy.
03:02Festival came.
03:03When festival used to come,
03:04I used to go into depression.
03:05Because,
03:06we didn't have anything to do.
03:07My mother,
03:11my mother used to work
03:12and bring a box of sweets.
03:14At that time,
03:15we used to worship Goddess Lakshmi.
03:18Otherwise, we used to sit.
03:20In the street,
03:21other kids used to light crackers.
03:22I used to be happy among them.
03:24I used to go near them,
03:25so that people feel,
03:26that I have lit these crackers.
03:28So,
03:29my mother used to work at people's house.
03:31I used to sit at the door.
03:35My mother used to clean the toilet.
03:37I used to hide in the car,
03:38and used to look at the car.
03:41Then, while going,
03:42she used to say,
03:43Kamla,
03:44vegetables,
03:45yesterday a guest came,
03:46we have vegetables,
03:47take them with you.
03:48Peas, paneer, lentils,
03:49her stale vegetables,
03:50used to get fresh.
03:52Our day used to become,
03:53whole day,
03:55on such circumstances.
03:56But,
03:57today I tell my mother,
03:58that mother,
03:59today,
04:00I have done something,
04:01collected something,
04:02just for you.
04:03I am such a mother,
04:04the amount of love,
04:05I give to my son,
04:06for 10 months,
04:07maybe,
04:08no mother would have said,
04:09I love my mother,
04:10more than that.
04:11Of course.
04:12In such circumstances,
04:13how did your journey start?
04:16I love you,
04:17Kapil Sharma and Sudesh Lahiri.
04:18I don't know,
04:19when someone used to talk,
04:20people used to laugh a lot.
04:22But,
04:23when I went to college,
04:24I was laughing like this,
04:25in the garden,
04:26we had free time.
04:27So,
04:28Sudesh Lahiri ji,
04:29he left,
04:30he saw and left.
04:31Later, I told the teacher,
04:32there is a fat girl,
04:34she is speaking very well,
04:35people are laughing,
04:36call her.
04:37That was my first,
04:38youth festival,
04:39national,
04:40we went to Andhra Pradesh,
04:41to Rangal,
04:42and from there,
04:43out of 5,
04:44out of 5,
04:45our girls,
04:46gold medal,
04:47I got Kapil Sharma,
04:48after 16 years.
04:49He said,
04:50you do very well,
04:51I saw your show in university.
04:52Where did you meet Kapil?
04:53In Amritsar.
04:54Our,
04:55zonal level,
04:56youth festival,
04:57there,
04:58comedy show is coming,
04:59stand-up,
05:00will you do it?
05:01I said, no,
05:02you were doing well here,
05:03I said, no,
05:04camera is on,
05:05our throat dries up.
05:06He said,
05:07nothing,
05:08if you see,
05:09audition,
05:10in this hotel of Amritsar,
05:11audition,
05:12you go,
05:13take my name.
05:14He turned on his camera,
05:15and I,
05:16whatever I did,
05:17I said all the dialogues.
05:18I said, sir,
05:19can I go?
05:20I felt from his eyes,
05:21son,
05:22get out,
05:23you are not selected.
05:24I came,
05:25he said,
05:26you are selected,
05:27I said, no,
05:28he said,
05:29if you are selected,
05:30we will call you.
05:31Then there was no phone in our house,
05:32we got a call from our neighbors,
05:33okay,
05:34you are selected,
05:35okay,
05:36you have to come to Bombay,
05:37who will you bring with you?
05:38I said,
05:39my mom.
05:40Me and my mom,
05:41in flight,
05:42for the first time,
05:43we saw everything,
05:44we never saw down,
05:45we didn't take a trolley,
05:46we thought,
05:47we have to pay for it,
05:48we took a bag,
05:49my mom,
05:50and I,
05:51someone said,
05:52you take a trolley,
05:53we said,
05:54we don't have change,
05:55then we will give,
05:56it is free,
05:57then we took a trolley,
05:58kept everything,
05:59we got a boarding pass,
06:00we sat there,
06:01then when,
06:02we were about to land,
06:03in the evening,
06:04I saw,
06:05so much light,
06:06sea,
06:07to tell you the truth,
06:08I felt like,
06:09I am coming back home,
06:10I am not going anywhere,
06:11I am not going anywhere,
06:12I am not going anywhere,
06:13I am not going anywhere,
06:14I am coming back,
06:15I had gone somewhere,
06:16really,
06:17I am coming back home,
06:18okay,
06:19that day I felt,
06:20yes,
06:21Mumbai is calling me,
06:22then when I got on stage,
06:23ma'am,
06:24the things I said,
06:25when I said,
06:26I am fat,
06:27when I want to meet,
06:28they said,
06:29you can't meet here,
06:30go to Dharamkata,
06:31where there are big things,
06:32then people started laughing,
06:33I said,
06:34okay,
06:35insult yourself on your fatness,
06:36people laugh,
06:37people,
06:38have changed that thing,
06:39or the world has changed,
06:40now no one calls me fat,
06:41oh,
06:42she is so cute,
06:43I have become fat.
06:44Because you are successful,
06:45but this sense of humour,
06:46this is God's gift,
06:49sometimes I think,
06:50I wish I had this sense of humour,
06:53it's not there,
06:54this is my second talent,
06:55this is a gift from God,
06:57not everyone can do this,
06:59not everyone can do this,
07:00and even today I say,
07:01it's been 15 years,
07:02I came to Mumbai,
07:03while working,
07:04ma'am,
07:05even today,
07:06you were going to come,
07:07you didn't treat me like that,
07:08when I was backstage,
07:09I am sweating,
07:10I am so scared,
07:11someone tell me,
07:12If someone tells me to run away, I run away. But when I go on stage, within 5 seconds, I don't see anyone's father. I feel like I have to tell them what I have to say.
07:24Okay Bharti, you made people laugh at you.
07:28Yes.
07:29So people do body shaming of you being fat, right? Like if someone says, you have become very fat.
07:36Yes.
07:37You have become thin. Okay, diet this, diet that. Has this ever happened with you?
07:41Many times. Many times. Even when I go on shows, people still misbehave with me.
07:46I don't know who among 10,000 people said this to me. But who is the person who is getting peace by saying this?
07:53Look at me. I am fat. I am. But you are shouting and telling so many people. People do this a lot.
07:59But yes, I don't feel like this because I am fat. I have eaten myself and I am from Punjab.
08:04I eat parathas every day, ma'am. If I have a call time of 7 o'clock, I eat 6.5 parathas.
08:10I can also eat, but I don't feel like it because of my age. But I like it a lot.
08:14Cauliflower and radish parathas.
08:17Okay, so your husband also works with you.
08:20Yes, he is a writer.
08:21He is a writer. How did you meet?
08:24We were a very strange couple, ma'am. It didn't seem that…
08:27He was writing in one of your shows.
08:29Yes, he was a writer in a show called Comedy Circus.
08:32We had an affair for 8 years.
08:34Okay.
08:35The world didn't know about it.
08:37And no one could say that a thin girl could have an affair with such a fat girl.
08:41Then after 9 years, we told our family that I am 3 years older than Harsh.
08:46Ah!
08:47And I don't think that there is a book or a book…
08:51Yes, it is written there.
08:52…that if a girl gets love and heart, then there is no age limit. I know this.
08:57Okay, now you earn well.
08:59Yes.
09:00Now tell me.
09:01You have money now.
09:03Yes.
09:04When you had less money, what did you want to indulge in?
09:08I mean, what gives you happiness and pleasure?
09:10Food.
09:11Me too.
09:12Sorry.
09:14Look at her. She is from Delhi North.
09:18Food, right?
09:19Absolutely.
09:20Me too, food.
09:21I have so much pleasure.
09:22I have been shooting…
09:23What did you make?
09:24Sister, this…
09:25Oh, no.
09:26There is radish at home.
09:27Keep it at home. I will make radish paratha.
09:29I will eat it even at night at 12.30.
09:31So, Galaxy Chocolate believes in empowering women to choose their own definition of pleasure.
09:37Do what you enjoy doing.
09:40And if you enjoy doing nothing, then don't do anything.
09:44Yes.
09:45Right?
09:46Very good.
09:47Now, freedom to choose your definition of pleasure is very important.
09:52Am I right?
09:53Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely right.
09:55I want a house where I can grow vegetables.
09:58Me too.
09:59Now, the time has come for women to enjoy sex, clothes, food, or doing nothing.
10:10Yes.
10:11Sitting on a swing.
10:12Yes, sitting on a swing.
10:13Where there is happiness.
10:14Do you like chocolate?
10:16I have never eaten so much chocolate in my childhood.
10:19So…
10:20But it feels like it is mine now.
10:23Now see, I don't share my chocolate with anyone.
10:26I eat it secretly.
10:27What is it that you don't share with anyone?
10:30Even I can't share my food with anyone.
10:32If I have put it for myself, then it is my food.
10:35No one can take it from me.
10:37But you eat chocolate secretly.
10:39Sometimes.
10:40Okay, okay, okay.
10:42I tell everyone that I don't eat it.
10:45So, it was nice meeting you Bharti.
10:48Thank you so much, ma'am.
10:50And I think a lot of girls will be inspired by watching this program.
10:55Even today, women are hesitating to tell us what they want to enjoy.
10:59Please tell us.
11:00When will you tell us?
11:01Tell your partner about your happiness.
11:03That you want to stay on a swing.
11:04You want to roam around.
11:05You want to go to the pool.
11:07People are happy because life is very short.
11:10Thank you so much, ma'am.