Don’t have an answer to it: Sumona Chakravarti on absence from ‘The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show’

Mumbai: Actor Sumona Chakravarti says she has been on her own journey and doesn't have an answer about her absence from the celebrity comedy talk show The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show, hosted by her frequent collaborator Kapil Sharma.

The actor, who has been part of Sharma’s shows since 2013, said she is touched by the love of fans who have missed her on the ongoing ensemble Netflix series.

Chakravarti featured on Colors' Comedy Nights with Kapil (2013-2016) and The Kapil Sharma Show on Sony TV (2016-23).

Asked why she isn't a part of “The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show”, she told PTI: “I don’t have an answer to this. The show that I was part of, which was on another channel, ended last year in July. Since then, I’ve been on my own journey, doing my own things, networking, and meeting people.” Sharma partnered with streaming service Netflix for a new venture “The Great Indian Kapil Sharma Show”, which features Sunil Grover, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Rajiv Thakur, and Archana Puran Singh.

Chakravarti, also known for TV serial Bade Achhe Lagte Hain, said people often keep coming up to her and say they miss her.

“I know fans have missed (me on the show), I’ve seen their messages. I meet people everywhere, the moment you step out of the house, your neighbours tell you (they miss seeing you on the show). That is exactly what motivates you to do something different."

“When I was in London last year, I had so many Indians telling me that they liked me in Bade Achhe Lagte Hain. It’s really nice to see the love coming whether it’s for Bade Achhe… or Comedy Nights…. It’s great and you know you are doing something right. Nobody expected me to do well in comedy (but I did it)” she added.

The 35-year-old actor, who is gearing up to participate in stunt reality show 'Khatron Ke Khiladi 14', said going forward she wants to try something different in her career.

“This year some exciting stuff will happen with fiction. I was busy with theatre. Now, this (Khatron Ke Khiladi) is happening. So, it’s about doing something different now,” she said.

The actor said she is blessed to have garnered acclaim for her role of Natasha Kapoor in “Bade Achhe Lagte Hain”, headlined by Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar, and for director Anurag Basu's 2012 film Barfi!, in which she played the role of Ileana D'Cruz’s friend.

“Bade Achhe Lagte Hain’ gave me a name, it was my claim to fame. I had worked a lot before but Bade Achhe Lagte Hain made me famous, and I owe a lot of my career to that show.

"For ‘Barfi!’, we didn't even have the script but the idea was to work with Anurag da. I took up the film thinking, ‘This will be an amazing crash course as an actor’. I knew I’ll get to work with Ranbir (Kapoor), with Priyanka (Chopra Jonas). Unfortunately, I didn’t have a scene (with them) but it was amazing to be a brick on the wall. You learn so much by just having a film like ‘Barfi’ on your resume," she said.

Chakravarti is thrilled about her participation in “Khatron Ke Khiladi 14”, which features celebrity contestants facing their worst fears to win the coveted title.

The actor said her mother has been an ardent admirer of the Rohit Shetty-hosted show and she would often insist Chakravarti to participate in it.

“Every year she would be like, ‘Why don’t you do this show?’ I would be like, ‘Why you want me to be in an uncomfortable situation?"

"I know there’s a certain image that has been created in people’s minds because of my body of work, so I thought ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ is a great platform, where I get to do things that I would really like to do, like going on adventures. It’s also a platform that will present my real self, how I deal with situations,” she added.

The upcoming installment of “Khatron Ke Khiladi” also features Shilpa Shinde, Asim Riaz, Krishna Shroff, Shalin Bhanot, Abhishek Kumar, Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia, Karan Veer Mehra, Kedar Aashish Mehrotraa, Aditi Sharma, Gashmeer Mahajani, and Niyati Fatnani.

The show will soon air on Colors channel.