- Manoj Bajpayee said humour between people should not always be seen as offensive
- He emphasised laughing at ourselves while respecting others and their backgrounds
- Bajpayee recalled being called "Bihari" on a Delhi bus but did not take offence
Manoj Bajpayee has shared his thoughts on the debate around humour involving immigrants and regional stereotypes following a recent episode of Samay Raina's show India's Got Latent.
The actor spoke about the issue while talking to IANS.
Reacting to the exchange, Manoj said that humour between people should not necessarily be viewed as offensive when it comes from a place of mutual understanding.
"If it is all in jest, I actually don't mind it. We should learn to laugh at ourselves and laugh together, laugh at each other and still not be hurt and offended. So, this is what we should learn. We should have humor about ourselves but at the same time we should have respect, not only for ourselves but also for the person that you are sitting with and where that person comes from. It's very very important. If two people are very easy with each other, they always laugh at each other," he told IANS.
The actor also recalled an experience from when he was 18 and had recently moved to Delhi.
While trying to board a bus through the front door, unaware of the city's rules, he said the driver shouted at him, "Aye Bihari board from the back gate".
Manoj said he did not take offence because he was indeed from Bihar and was simply unfamiliar with the city at the time.
"We never got offended or hurt. But yes, there is a problem if somebody coming from somewhere becomes a problem for you or becomes a problem for the community. Then there is a problem. Till then it's, we should be able to laugh at each other, laugh at ourselves. That's a sign of a very healthy society," he added.
What Happened On India's Got Latent
The controversy follows a recent episode of India's Got Latent Season 2, where Sharon Verma came to the show as a panellist alongside Samay Raina, Orry, Archana Puran Singh and Nishant Suri.
During the episode, Samay joked about Sharon's Bihari roots and stereotypes surrounding people leaving their home states for work. Sharon responded by making jokes about Samay's Kashmiri identity and his association with "getting stoned". She also said that she had "atleast left her state by choice".
The exchange appeared to be mutual banter, with both comedians participating in the jokes. However, clips from the episode later circulated online and drew criticism from some viewers.