By giving awards to the worst films and performances in various categories, these two award shows get back at Bollywood for 'wasting money and time' of the audience as well as their own.
Although parody award shows have been around for quite some time, with Hollywood's Golden Raspberries founded in 1980, there are many firsts for India's parody award shows that are going overseas with their shows or have stopped producing them altogether.
By giving awards to the worst films and performances in various categories, these award shows get back at Bollywood for 'wasting money and time' of the audience as well as their own. While The Ghanta Awards has the categories like 'WTF was that' and 'Shit Nobody Saw', the Golden Kela Awards has categories like 'Why are you still trying' and 'Baawra Ho Gaya Hai Ke'. Both take online votes and declare the winners at their shows.
Currently touring with their nomination specials show across Kochi, Chenai and Gurgaon, The Ghanta Awards will reveal the winners on March 8 in Mumbai. A property of INvision company, the awards are being hosted by the comedy group 'East India Comedy' for the last three years. Gagan Takyar, director of INvision said that the awards are a means to take out the frustration of watching bad movies every year.
“Its not about bashing anybody in particular. Its a comment on bad decisions made by the industry,” said Takyar who added that the awards began with 35 people in the audience at Juhu five years ago.
Post the awards are declared, the show is going overseas to Singapore, Dubai and U.S. “The NRI audience wants to relate to us and they feel tortured by these movies because they pay around $15 for a ticket. Indian movies and serials are not easily accessible and the Ghanta Awards are relatable. NRIs are crazy about Bollywood and go to every single movie that releases. We have had 15 to 16 shows in Singapore earlier and all of them have been houseful. In 22 cities in US that we have had our other shows it has been houseful. There is definitely a market abroad,” claimed Takyar.
Its the seventh year of the Golden Kela Awards and Jatin Varma, the founder claims its the first parody award show in the country.
“Its not based around stand up comedy like most parody award shows these days. Its a serious award show with entry for invites only although comedy is central to it. We haven't monetised it and it is not ticketed,” he said. Varma said that it started as a joke among his friends and they decided to make it a reality.
“We love Cinema and this was a way to call out on people who make and are a part of bad films,” he said. The awards will be announced on March 14 in Delhi. Nominations for this year are pretty similar for both with the movie Humshakals, Action Jackson and Kick ruling the worst films of the year.
The Ghanta awards takes suggestions from film critics to add to the list while Golden Kela Awards doesn't. Another parody award show by the comedy group Shitzengiggles (SNG) called 'Filmfail' is not being produced anymore after their first and last show in 2013. Karan Talwar, the founder of SNG said that they dont want to do anything with Bollywood.
“We are bored of it because the basic facts remain the same. Tushar Kapoor is still a horrible actor. There are so many opportunities to create humour besides doing the same type of award that's being done by the same people over and over. I have written for the Ghanta Awards before but I don't care about what happens in Bollywood anymore. The writing is too cumbersome. I am done with it,” he said.
Most of them agree that Bollywood movies have gone from bad to worse in the recent times but the packaging and marketing of the movies has attained class. “The gap between bad and good films has fortunately gotten smaller. Additionally, now even the bad movies are well shot and great looking. So, at least the packaging has improved!” said Sorabh Pant of EIC.
Sahil Shah from EIC said that Bollywood has really gone downhill over the years. “They are not only remaking old movies but just rehashing concepts and taking the audience for granted because they know the audience is stupid and willing to pay,” he said.
All India Bakchod also hosts a parody award show called the Royal Turds which is usually held at the end of the year. “Royal Turds may happen later than usual as it usually takes more than 2 months to write the show. We travelled with the show to Dubai last year where we have had other shows in the past. There is a huge market in Dubai and a lot of organisers showed interest in hosting it. Audiences come not just because of the Bollywood factor as AIB has reach beyond India in countries like USA and UAE. Dubai is receptive as not much comedy happens there. The style in which AIB does the show is different because they are edgy, observational and connect the current scenarios in the country with the theme of the show with a healthy dose of pop culture and even politics,” said Deepti Bansal, Manager of AIB from OML.
The controversy surrounding AIB has affected the stand-up comedians overall but has also made sponsors a little wary. “Corporates are a bit scared now and the authorities are more stringent but comedy is here to stay,” said Takyar.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}