'The Comedian' on JioCinema review: Fitting tribute to Satish Kaushik
The short film The Comedian, headlined by the late Satish Kaushik, has kicked off JioCinema's digital film festival, which will go on till October 18. Helmed and written by Katyayan Shivpuri, it is one of Kaushik's multiple posthumous releases following his sudden demise in March 2023. Replete with genuine emotions, charged with authentic performances, and paced excellently, The Comedian is worth every minute.
A story of an unexpected, life-altering friendship
The Comedian traces the life of an aging actor-comedian Hasmukh (Kaushik), whose opportunities have dried up and his family has fallen apart due to his recklessness. The frustration of a career that has withered away weighs heavily on his chest, and his frayed emotions—turned into anger—have made him a bitter, rancorous man, until an unexpected friendship with an ailing child, Ria, transforms his life.
Exploration of a career fallen from heights
The first time we meet Hasmukh at a client's birthday party (even before his profession is introduced), his expressions betray that he would rather be anywhere than here. When he's asked to smile, he obliges with extreme effort—right in the first frame, we realize that a turbulent storm seems to have washed over him. That his name is Hasmukh (cheerful), is another scathing irony.
What happens when a popular star becomes a has-been?
Fame is a fickle friend, and The Comedian drives this home when Hasmukh realizes he has become a has-been—he was once popular but now time has whizzed past, leaving him in the same position, stranded and desolate. At the aforementioned party, he is forced to tell jokes, but they are received not by claps but with a deafening silence—his best days are behind him.
More on the above topic
The Comedian is redolent of Sanjay Mishra's Kaamyaab, which, too, talked about a senior artist's struggle to find his footing in an industry that has moved ahead without him. Here, Hasmukh is a relic, a reminder of a time gone by, and the failure that has crept into his life turns him into a cantankerous person who snaps at his friends, neighbors, and kids.
Ria-Hasmukh's friendship is special in many ways
Ria's entry into his life alters everything, and in her words, he goes from being a "grizzly bear" to being a "koala bear." The Comedian derives its emotional foothold from their relationship, and since she's a cancer patient surviving on borrowed time, she teaches Hasmukh the values of love, friendship, and companionship—things he once knew but deliberately forgot as life trumped him.
In some ways, it takes inspiration from Kaushik's life
The Comedian seems to capture Kaushik's life. In one scene, he says, "Actor hoon log comedian bolte rehte hain (I'm an actor but people have labeled me a comedian)," something that resonates with him and several others entrapped by just one tag: comedian, and thus considered limited and not suitable for other genres. Moreover, scenes with Ria mirror his bond with his daughter, Vanshika.
We give the film 4/5 stars
I found The Comedian lacking in dialogues—the English dialogues appear forced and a bit jarring. Also, it could have made better use of the supporting actors and fleshed out Hasmukh-Ria's relationship somewhat better. These problems aside, The Comedian has many moments of heartfelt emotions and is rich in metaphors, and if not for anything else, should be streamed for the love of Kaushik's craft.
