By Onkar Nath:
The art of mocking an issue without hurting people’s sentiments was perfected by the one and only Mr. Jaspal Bhatti. The untimely demise of this gentleman has created a void which will be very difficult to fill.
He was equally popular in all parts of India apart from his home state, Punjab. If I were to analyse his popularity and fame then I would be forced to say that he did not really have a career. He never did anything deliberately to push himself into the limelight nor did he want to become famous. If you see watch some of his popular shows like Ulta Pulta or Flop Show, you will realize that they were simply means of venting his agony against social issues.
He started his career as a cartoonist with The Tribune and went on to become one of the most celebrated satirists of this country. He was equally popular among politicians, considering the fact that most of his work revolved around satirising their work. The reason behind this was that he never got into their personal lives. It was the agenda which was the central character of Bhatti’s shows. For the common man, his shows were like a tonic in an environment of anguish. Be it corruption, dowry issues, price hikes or office politics, his sense of humour was great and he had an excellent comic timing. He had the ability to think of ideas and put them in the form of a satire on the spot. This comes naturally to very few people.
I still remember last year when he garlanded himself with vegetables which was a protest against inflation and price hike. He was a person who did not only bring a smile onto people’s faces, but also provoked self-analysis with his biting wit and humour. Considering the seriousness behind his comedy and humour the Election Commission of India, endorsed him as their brand ambassador for their awareness campaign last year. When he started during the 80s, he was the only person who was into this genre of entertainment. Nowadays, you might find many who are into this profession but struggle to achieve the legacy left behind by Mr Bhatti.