- Chandan Prabhakar and Rajeev Thakur were selected for The Great Indian Laughter Challenge initially
- Kapil Sharma auditioned again in Delhi after initial rejection in Punjab, with Chandan accompanying him
- Chandan and Rajeev repeatedly urged producers to include Kapil Sharma on the show despite his rejection
Long before they became household names through The Kapil Sharma Show, comedians Chandan Prabhakar, Kapil Sharma and Rajeev Thakur were struggling artistes trying to make their mark.
In a recent interview, Chandan looked back at those early days and revealed that Kapil Sharma was initially rejected during auditions for The Great Indian Laughter Challenge.
According to Chandan, he and Rajeev Thakur were convinced the makers had overlooked one of the most talented contestants and repeatedly requested them to reconsider Kapil's audition.
'We Were Upset'
Speaking on the LPU DSW YouTube channel, Chandan revealed that he and Rajeev Thakur were selected for The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, while Kapil Sharma did not make the cut in the initial round.
"We were selected for The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. We auditioned, and I got selected. Both Rajiv Thakur and I had made it. Kapil Sharma, however, wasn't selected initially. Rajeev got the first call, and then I received mine."
The comedian admitted they found the decision difficult to understand because they had always believed in Kapil's talent.
"We were all friends back then, and we still are. We were genuinely upset. We kept wondering how someone as talented as him hadn't been selected."
Kapil Insisted On Auditioning Again
Chandan also recalled that after being rejected in the Punjab auditions, Kapil decided to try again in Delhi. Despite Chandan already having a shoot scheduled, Kapil convinced him to accompany him.
"Kapil said, 'I have to go to Delhi for the audition.' I told him, 'But my selection is already done, and we have a shoot.' He said, 'Come with me.' I asked, 'Shouldn't I shoot first?' Kapil replied, 'Forget the shoot. I'm going for the audition. You come with me.' I said, 'Alright.' We literally disappeared without telling anyone where we were going."
While Kapil went inside for the audition, Chandan waited outside for hours.
"We reached there and sat outside in the queue for a very long time. Eventually, Kapil went inside while I waited outside, chatting with different people. After he came out, I asked him, 'How was the audition?' He said, 'Great.' I said, 'Very good.' But even after that, he still didn't get the call."
'You're Making A Mistake'
Even after joining the reality show, Chandan and Rajeev continued urging the production team to bring Kapil on board.
"When we reached, Rajeev and I kept telling the assistant directors, 'You're making a mistake. The truly talented guy is the one you've left out.' They'd tell us, 'Just focus on your own work.' But every time we went for rehearsals, we'd remind them, 'That guy is incredibly talented. You're making a mistake. Please call him.' We kept saying it over and over again."
Their repeated requests eventually worked, and Kapil was finally called to join the show.
'Kapil Sharma Has Arrived'
However, Chandan revealed that Kapil's entry also meant his own journey on the show came to an end.
Recalling the moment, he said, "Finally, they told us, 'We've called Kapil Sharma. He's coming.' I said, 'Very good. Thank you so much.' Then they added, 'But you're going back.' I asked, 'Why?' They said, 'No... you can go back now. Kapil Sharma has arrived.' After that, Rajeev Thakur and Kapil Sharma stayed there, while I packed my bags."
Returning To Engineering Before Comedy
After leaving The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, Chandan briefly returned to his engineering profession before deciding to give entertainment another chance.
Sharing an interesting detail about his career, he said, "Very few people know this, but I'm actually a mechanical engineer. I used to work at a software engineering company. Then I realised this wasn't what I wanted to do. So I came back immediately. And later quit it to start looking for something else."
Over the years, Chandan Prabhakar went on to become a familiar face through Comedy Nights with Kapil and The Kapil Sharma Show, where his comic chemistry with Kapil Sharma became a favourite among audiences. Most recently, he appeared in one of the episodes of India's Got Latent 2.