Comedy as a genre is tricky to crack. While many struggle to find their beat, Kapil Sharma decoded the secret to success. In the last 11 years, the comedian escalated on the growth chart and established himself as the King Of Comedy with no competition around him. The journey started with Comedy Nights with Kapil in 2013 and now, he's on Netflix with the revamped version of The Kapil Sharma Show, a biweekly show on Sony TV.

The Netflix series is titled The Great Kapil Show. Kapil is hosting the show whereas Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda and Rajiv Thakur are performing gags. Archana Puran Singh returns as the chief guest. However, the USP of The Great Kapil Show is the comeback of Sunil Grover after a long gap. The first episode of a weekly series premiered on Netflix on Saturday amid much excitement. 

Neetu Singh Kapoor, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni and Ranbir Kapoor were the first guests on The Great Kapil Show. From sharing anecdotes about the late Rishi Kapoor to gushing over Raha Kapoor, the episode was all about mush, love and smiles. Whether the episode worked for us or not, let's find out!

Safe playing humour and repetitive structure

The Kapil Sharma Show set the bar high for comedy, hilariously scathing digs and showcasing silver screen stars in their candid best avatars. However, The Great Kapil Show plays it safe. The gags have been toned down, jokes don't excite and laughs seem forced. What's more worrisome is that Neetu, Riddhima and Ranbir were not allowed to be their candid best. The episode peaked when the Kapoor trio shared interesting and lesser-known anecdotes about their family. Though Krushna Abhishek and Kiku Sharda are given different characters, the punchlines remain the same-monotonous and stale. Sunil Grover was a sensation as Gutthi and Dr. Gulati but his screen presence and comic timing were disappointing in The Great Kapil Show. 

The glimmer of hope

Krushna Abhishek is a phenomenal performer and he proves it yet again with The Great Kapil Show. Since Animal is the current hot topic in Ranbir Kapoor's career, the comedian dressed as Bobby Deol's Abrar and entertained the guests and live audience. His body language was bang-on. He was the glimmer of hope in the dull episode coated with multiple layers of sugar. The dialogues were sharp and crisp, offering some smiles, if not laughs. 

Why the hype?

Sunil Grover's reunion with Kapil Sharma was billed as the next big thing on OTT. This certainly drew in a lot of audience. However, the comeback was lackluster. The same old cross-dressing can be forgiven for once, but the discomfort in Sunil's body language while enacting a scene with Ranbir Kapoor couldn't be ignored. While Ranbir enjoyed doing his bit enthusiastically, the comedian felt out of place.

Ranbir Kapoor-Pyaar Hota Kayi Baar Hai

Is there anyone who doesn't like the vibe Ranbir Kapoor exudes? Unlike his on-screen persona, he's calm, composed, slightly shy and an absolute darling. Sharing a glimpse into the kind of person he is off-the-camera, Ranbir won hearts by showcasing his sweet side. An obedient son to Rishi and Neetu and a doting, adorably obsessed father to Raha. When Neetu spoke about Ranbir's bond with Raha, the actor's face lit up and how! His humourous side was shown when he termed alcohol as 'Nimbu Pani' while talking about his father, Rishi Kapoor. The Great Kapil Show displayed a completely different side of Ranbir and made us fall in love with him every single minute. The way he switched from being a shy boy to an actor was commendable. He and his stories should have been given more screen time. If not for Ranbir, the episode would have been underwhelming.

Time to put the Animal in the cage

Animal has been one of Ranbir's most successful films and talked-about too. The actor shed his chocolate boy and lover image and transitioned into a beast effortlessly. Now, the discussion and constant mention of Animal is boring. It's high time that people move on from the film and allow Ranbir to get into the skin of newer characters. The repeated mention of Animal got the nerves. Cage the Animal, right away!

The second episode of The Great Kapil Show will feature cricketers. Let's wait and watch!