Johnny Lever SLAMS Modern Comedians For Vulgarity: ‘No Aukaat To Stand Before Us'

News18

3 days ago

Johnny Lever criticizes today's comedians and actors for relying on vulgar jokes and Hollywood-style humour. He says real talent lies in clean comedy.
Veteran comedian Johnny Lever, a name synonymous with clean, family-friendly humour for over four decades, has expressed his concern over the increasing reliance on vulgarity and double entendre in both films and stand-up comedy today. In a candid interview with actress Kunickaa Sadanand on her YouTube channel, Lever shared his disappointment with the shifting sensibilities in Indian comedy, blaming the growing influence of Hollywood and the erosion of cultural nuance.
'People are freely abusing today because of Hollywood films," Lever observed. 'In the West, it's common to use foul language and make crass jokes, and now our actors and comedians are copying that. They've developed a habit. They only watch English films now."
Kunickaa echoed his sentiment, noting, 'A lot of them don't even know Hindi properly anymore."
Lever, who has acted in over 300 films across a career that spans generations, believes that this unfiltered comedic style has become the norm rather than the exception. 'They pick up exact things from Hollywood, thinking, 'Chal jayega, kya farq padta hai.' That's how double meaning jokes have become so common."
Turning his critique toward the current stand-up comedy scene, Lever didn't mince words. 'Most of today's stand-up content is full of double meanings. But when we were trained in the craft, we were taught never to take that route. If we start speaking double meaning, these new guys won't even be able to stand before us. But we never chose that path."
In a pointed remark that seemed both a challenge and a call for introspection, Lever added, 'If they are really talented, I challenge them—say something clean and still make people laugh. That is the real test. I'm not saying they're bad, people are enjoying their content. But I have a family audience. I have to be answerable to that."
He also took pride in the fact that his daughter, Jamie Lever, who has carved her own space in the comedy world, upholds the same values. 'She does solo shows too and doesn't rely on vulgarity," he said with evident pride.
Ironically, Lever's latest screen appearance was in the fifth installment of the Housefull franchise, a film that drew criticism for its heavy use of innuendos and over-the-top crass humour—an unfortunate alignment with the very trend he critiques.
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