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Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

Shekhar Tonite is a meme recap. India needs a real late-night show

One thing Shekhar Suman does in almost every episode of his show is perform a set of political jokes, laugh at them himself, and appreciate himself for doing what ‘no one else is doing’.

India has never really managed to build a proper late-night talk show culture. Every few years, someone tries to revive the format, but most end up becoming celebrity interviews or carefully packaged conversations, instead of sharp political satire. The only host who truly came close was Shekhar Suman, with his Movers and Shakers (1997). Now, after returning with Shekhar Tonite in May, he claims to be doing political comedy again. But the first episode itself suggests that the show is less interested in satire and more in easy political punchlines, especially considering its first guest — Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

The show started with jokes about the West Bengal Assembly election. “We don’t know whether achhe din will come or not, but for some politicians, their bad days have already begun,” Shekhar said, referring to the state’s former CM Mamata Banerjee. He then moved on to more jokes about her, saying that all of Mamata’s banners have now been replaced by that of........

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