Speaking to the media for the first time after a string of controversies and reports of the suspension of his new Sony TV show Family Time with Kapil Sharma, the actor-comedian told Bollywood Hungama on Wednesday that he knew what he was doing and had the full support of the channel.
“The people who want my career destroyed can spread whatever lies they want. I am okay with it,” Kapil Sharma told the publication. “I am not new to people piggy riding on my success. Let them. As long as it gives them the satisfaction that they want. I know what I am doing. And my channel Sony Entertainment are completely behind him. Sony’s helmers Mr NP Singh and Mr Danish Aslam are the most supportive people I’ve worked with. They believe in me.”
The entertainment portal also quoted a source as saying that the show had gone off air temporarily so that they could revamp it. Sharma too was unhappy with the way the show had shaped up, the source claimed.
Family Time with Kapil Sharma was supposed to mark the actor-comedian’s return to prime time television after The Kapil Sharma Show went off air in August 2017 over reports of his ill-health. However, the new show received a lukewarm response when it was premiered on March 25. This was followed by reports of Sharma cancelling shoots with guests at the last minute.
The controversy grew on April 6, when Sharma tweeted a string of abuses, in which he accused the media of spreading fake news. He also accused Vicky Lalwani, editor of the entertainment website Spotboye, of “spreading negativity” about him and called him a “liar”. Sharma filed a police complaint against Lalwani, alleging that he had attempted to extort Rs 25 lakhs from him. Sharma named his former managers Neeti and Preeti Simoes in that complaint and accused Lalwani of launching a malicious campaign to defame Sharma after he refused to pay him.