When Kapil Sharma first announced his stand-up special on Netflix, I expected him to present an extension of his television persona and jokes. The impression I got from the teaser was him utilizing the Netflix stage to share stories and jokes he can’t on traditional television with The Kapil Sharma Show.
I was proven both right and wrong – he did the latter and let go of the former.
Described as the “Kind of Comedy” in India, Sharma came to the limelight around 2007 after winning The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, following which he slowly became a household name.
However, the world only saw his rise to fame and success and the incidents that led to his (so-called) downfall; nobody cared for or experienced his journey.
Image from I'm Not Done YetI recently came across a quote by Swami Sivananda that I was reminded of after watch this Netflix special.
“The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph. Self-realization demands very great struggle”… and that’s the essence of I’m Not Done Yet.
It isn’t a typical comedy stand-up special that will make you laugh till your cheeks hurt or sides split, but it will certainly make you empathize and smile with him.
Sharma gets candid about his alcohol addiction, fall out with the press, the media and the world in general, his battle with depression and conversations with his therapists.
The 54-minute monologue is a sincere attempt to talk to a room full of people and the viewers through the streaming platform who may have judged him or have stereotyped him as a low-brow comedian.
Sharma tries to include few punches and subtle jokes throughout his stand-up but is visibly uncomfortable and overwhelmed absorbing the fact that a ginormous network like Netflix has given him some space to speak. It may seem insignificant to some, but it’s a huge deal for an artist who was written off by the whole world not too long ago.
A very vulnerable Sharma takes us on a journey of his life sharing anecdotes from his past, moments with his late father, meeting his now wife, climbing the ladder slowly and steady. And while this could be labelled as a “rags to riches” story, it’s so much deeper than that.
It’s the story of anyone who’s worked hard for their dreams. It’s the journey of anyone who has strived to learn and grow, fought against failure multiple times, and survived to enjoy the sweet taste of success and contentment.
Image from I'm Not Done YetRemember how we applauded Hannah Gadsby for her boldly unapologetic Netflix special Nanette [2018], where the Australian comic attempted to redefine the standards of comedy through personal revelations and turmoil, I’m Not Done Yet deserves the same praise.
Sharma may be a celebrity today, but success isn’t achieved overnight. While everyone is always interested in “success stories”, nobody knows the amount of hard work, struggle, sleepless nights, planning, failing and restarting it takes to climb that mountain.
Verdict:
Kapil Sharma’s I’m Not Done Yet is an honest expression of a man sharing his deepest, darkest insecurities and faith to overcome it all… because he’s not done yet.
It is steaming on Netflix.
