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Wednesday, August 5, 2009 11:49 IST

There is something Sunny Deol, the self-proclaimed macho man of Bollywood, doesn't realise: it's that there is nothing more ludicrous than a macho man who takes himself too seriously. So seriously, in fact, that: one, he can't laugh at himself; two,he can't appreciate free publicity when he's getting it; and three, he doesn't know how to say "thank you" when a radio station has almost made him a part of urban folklore.

Instead, what does Son Funny do? He goes and sends a notice to the radio station, owned by a poor man called Anil Ambani, who is already so weighed down by gas problems that the last thing he needs is a dhaai kilo ka haath crashing down on his head. What Sunny doesn't know is that: firstly, he was funny even in his presumably "serious," "macho" roles ('This 2.5 kg of heavy arm, when it falls on a man, the man doesn't get up, he goes up" — pardon me, but that's the best translation I can come up with. And despite the pathetic quality of the translation, I am sure everyone, excluding Sunny of course, can see how funny the original line in Hindi must have sounded. 2.5 kg of arm? What is he? Beef? Pork? Not Chicken for sure, since wings don't qualify as arms.)

And secondly, the most macho of men have had no problem combining great comic roles with macho ones. The great example is Akshay Kumar, who is macho and comic at the same time, viz. Singh is King. So the case of Akshay (and Salman too) puts paid to the logic of his notice, that says, with absolutely no sense of humour or modesty, "A film artiste, and particularly an artiste who is holding (sic) an image of lead hero/macho man, cannot be portrayed as a funny/comic figure before the people at large and that too, casually and/or regularly such that he becomes a laughing stock." Sunny boy, you don't get any more macho or lead hero than Arnie Schwarzenegger, and he has played the bumbling Kindergarten Cop and Terminator without any problems. So, don't tell us you can't be a macho man and a funny man at the same time.

As for the show on Big FM, I listen to it almost every day, and the reason I tune in is not their selection of Bollywood songs, which is hardly distinguishable from what you get on the other FM stations, but for the "Son Sunny" humour - those guys are genuinely Sunny...er...funny. And I, for one, have found nothing "cheap" or derogatory in their humour. In fact, I recently attended a party that had a cultural programme and the biggest hit of the show was a take-off on the Sunny-Papa combo —people were laughing their guts out. So, Sunny boy, don't act funny now. Leave Big FM alone, and laugh with all of us. And remember, the "Sunny" on the radio show is not you, it's a character. I doubt whether you'll get the difference. If you don't, well, ask Papa.

24 comments

Please Sampath, you are too ugly to be intelligent (natural selection). It is not your fault that the pay cheque you make is not even equal to the price of five Big Macs outside India, so you think fans also get paid, but there is a fine line...

Sunny IS Funny! Public figure, star and couldn't stand getting caricatured? Grow up and be a star, Sunny! I am a fan and liked you in Dacait, by the way.

Ha ha! Some humour at last! Keep it up, man!

The blog post also appears very popular with Sampath's near and dear ones. "Hurt" Comments = Abuses, Boy oh Boy!!

Sampath, your blog post, somehow, seems very popular with Sunny's near and dear ones. All the "hurt" comments are nothing more than abuses hurled at you. So Gurudutt, Bharat, memumbaikar, king, etcetera etcetera, public figures have been poked fun at since the time media happened. And yes, this IS what freedom of expression is about.

Did any of you guys find anything vicious, personally malicious about Sunny in the post above? The answer is no. That is something you need to think about — that the 'line' that someone points out above, has been maintained.

The problem, as I see it, is that sense of humour is as diverse as the nation. Is freedom of expression a licence to go overboard? David Letterman and Sarah Palin, anyone?

Hey Mr Sampath, your concept of 'freedom of expression' ends at spewing nonsense, it seems. I am from an online agency and we, too, do spoofs of a lot of people. But there is always a line maintained. Now you may like to ask who decides the line. It's simple: do not be personal. You can mimic the way one speaks or behaves. I guess what has provoked Sunny is the constant poking of fun at his dad's drinking.

Also Mr Sampath, you seem to be a South Indian by name (the TH in SampaTH). Tell me honestly, would you take anything on RajanikanTH? If yes, do visit the url bosskaboss.com.

About Sunny's acting skills, I think you have limited knowledge. Please review his movies list, where he has come up with some kool movies like Arjun, Dacait and Ghayal.

Mr Sampath, I would only suggest that you put your freedom of expression to good use. Celebrities are always in the public eye, even if not on the screens. As for the three-pointer para that you mentioned, let me ask you: how many times have you been the butt of a joke and laughed at it? If seldom, it's good. If all the time, you should rethink it over, for you are being taken for a ride.

As for the three pointers, 1. if i repeatedly crack jokes about you being bald, how many times will you take it in your stride and laugh with me?
2. if i drag a member of your family (I am sorry for writing this) into the joke, how many times will you laugh with me?
3. if i branded you XYZ (in a bad way) and told you man, you are becoming famous, would you like the free publicity i am giving you? There is a difference betweeen making a person famous and making him infamous.

I already know your answers to the three questions. So, use your so-called freedom of expression for better purposes. It will help somebody. I am sorry I wasted my time reading your blog and wasted your time by replying to it.

There are various ways to laugh and find humour in life. It is absolutely not necessary to make fun of anybody. Sunny Deol is hurt, so he moved court. Only he knows how hurt he is, not you and me. His stand should not be criticized. Rather it should be appreciated. The whole nation should back him as it is our duty to get rid of irresponsible sections of the media. I hope you will also support him in his fight.

Although the basic premise of the article is sound, and as such these things should be taken lightly, the author is overlooking the fact that all individuals are different. If Sunny resents that kind of humour, he has full right to protest. So likening him to other stars is unfair. As far as being 'self-proclaimed' is concerned, that is competely baseless, as Sunny Deol is without a doubt the most ferocious and macho action star that Bollywood has ever had. Period.

If Sunny doesn't like being made fun of, so be it, scrap the show. What's the big deal? Find someone else to make fun of. How about using this article's author's father or brother or someone similar? I'm sure the author can laugh his guts out listening to his father being made fun of on radio. We would all have a change, too, and can laugh more. What say? :D

Sampath, you stink. Why not go and tell Big FM to do a show on you and your family? THAT WOULD BE GREAT FUN TO HEAR!

Well Sampath, can you laugh at yourself? You look like a clown with your dumpy cheap taklu head and unwashed face! Stop commenting on stars and look at what you are. Don't try to become someone great by hurting someone's feelings!

Sampath, by your face itself you look so serious. How can you talk about fun?

Hey Sampath, you seem to have many readers who are Sunny fans: look at how touchy and personal the comments are! I have always maintained that a sense of humour is not much appreciated here — but what even the touchy-feely Superman and King Kong cannot deny is that Ghanta Singh's prank call programmes are what keep many listeners hooked onto the FM channel! Come on guys, learn to laugh, even at yourself sometimes!

Hi Sampath, if you do not understand the pain of Sunny, then you are a fool. Just think about it. If I call you a moron and also call your father a big idiot all the time on a public forum day after day, how will you react? You are such an idiot and an insensitive man, Sampath. Now find humour in this.

Hey Sampath, your whole article says how macho men have been playing funny characters too. But mind it, they are playing funny CHARACTERS only. But the programme "Son Sunny" is making fun of the actual Sunny Deol and actual Dharmendra. It's not a role or character.

Even though I am not a fan of Sunny Deol, I certainly dislike the way this FM channel makes fun of him. I will surely dislike it if someone makes fun of you, too, in this way.

Sampath, I pity your judgement. If I were to slap you in the face, I am pretty sure you'd be offended. Some guys can take a lot of physical **** but are sensitive to other things, in this case his and his family's name being sullied. So before you rush out and judge others, try to have a healthy regard for the sensibilities of other people. Anyway, you are a 2 cent journo. Why am i wasting my time here?

Mr Sampath, jab aap pe gujre gi tab aapko pata chalega. Sunny is already a successful and established actor. Unko kabhi aisi ghatiya cheap publicity nahin chahiye hogi even though he is not in the limelight. Woh dusre actor ki tarah nahin hain (those actors you have mentioned in this article) jo paiso ke liye promotion mein apni izzat bechte hain. Lagta hai aapne JO BOLE SO NIHAL nahin dekhi. Phir boliyega ki Sunny comic person hai ya non-comic person.

Hey Sampath, or whatever your name is, do you have any idea about machoism first of all? The only thing you people are good at is in copying the West, but before you do that, you guys forget that there is a whole world between you and the West. As far as Sunny is concerned, I believe his publicity is equal to a million Sampaths put together.

You are not a judge. If Sunny is feeling hurt and he is complaining in a very civil way, then I am 100% with him. I have respect for him the way he has approached the matter. You have no idea about human values and how people bring big values into their HOME. Please think about it.

Hey Sampath, I understand Sunny's sentiments here. There should be a limit to everything. I'm sure if somebody pressed your burning points, you'll probably react even more aggressively. You can be as liberal as you want for somebody else, but when it comes to you, you're the most conservative person on the planet. You are not a judge. Let's wait and see what the court has to say about it. Until then, please shut up!

Hey superman,

thank u for commenting, please do come back and remember to ask me to shut up next time also.

sampath

I think you, Mister, have no right to criticise Sunny. He was the king of Bollywood from the 1980s to 2001. So don't comment on him.

Aman, you have truly taught me the meaning of the term "freedom of expression". Thanks.

Ha ha! Obviously the adage, "any publicity is good publicity", has not washed down well with the star in question!

But truly, man, the DJ has given the star a new lease of life and dug him out of obscurity. They should be paying the channel for free publicity! Have a laugh and move on with life! Love Aaj Kal is telling us to stop being so damned serious about even heavy-duty emotional stuff like breakups. Let's learn to loosen up!

Thank you, anup, i was beginning to think i was the only one seeing the funny side here.