Gaurav Gera’s short and laugh-worthy content

Comedian Gaurav Gera talks about his work on ‘LOL-Hasse Toh Phasse’ and ‘Chef Vs Fridge’

Actor, comedian, YouTuber Gaurav Gera is happy that the shows he features in are finally on air, considering they were all shot last year. “The shooting was paced out, so that way it was not like I was swamped with work all at once,” he says, from Gurugram, where he is currenlty with his parents.

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Gaurav, who made his screen debut in 2003 with the popular Hindi serial Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin on Sony, says his mind is full of the cartoon characters he creates.

“If I knew animation I would have created something different altogether,” he says.

In fact, he identifies himself more as a character creator than an actor. His popular Chutki-shopkeeper pair on social media (he did over 1,200 skits with the two characters), was followed by dadi and Aadu.

All for one Some of the characters created by Gaurav Gera Special arrangement | Photo Credit: ASHISH_CHAWLA

The entertainer’s Rajeshwari series, where he shoots with his househelp Rajeshwari was so popular she now has her own social media account with a 50k fan following. “This lady has been with me since 2006, since the time of Jassi Jaissi…. I have shifted homes, but cannot think of managing without Rajeshwari. I survived six months without her last year during the lockdown and managed to cook, take care of the house and my plants as well. But it was not easy.”

Chef vs Fridge

Cooking is still not a cakewalk. Talking about his new show Chef Vs Fridge on Zee Café with chef Vicky Ratnani, Gaurav says 20 years ago when he came to Mumbai, he could not cook a meal without assistance from his mom over the phone.

“I was a helper to my mother in the kitchen, so I knew what is what, but I never got to cooking. So, when I cooked last year there was a lot of trial and error involved, things burnt. My cooking videos during the lockdown Barish ki recipes were relatable to my viewers because I would say ‘tuti hui kadhai le,’ (take a broken vessel), or cut the vegetables aise-waise (chop it anyhow), or take a white katori to feel rich. Viewers like content they can relate to and I like to create content with my everyday thoughts and things around me,” he says.

What keeps him going with work is to “have zero expectations and do what I love most: make videos”.

On LOL

As one of the participants in the house on LOL-Hasse Toh Phasse on Amazon Prime, Gaurav says he did not feel threatened by anyone else. “I am used to ‘no audience’ when shooting my videos, so I don’t wait for any reaction to my acts. I do everything spontaneously and only get to know of the reaction when I post it.” The show’s format requires players to go about their acts while making sure they do not break into a smile or a laugh.

Gaurav is currently seen in comedy makeup videos with Rohit Gujjar, making viewers imitate them to recreate the funny posts. “The makeup video idea is entirely Rohit’s. We started with smokey eyes and managed quite a few good ones,” he says, laughing. He adds that he enjoys making videos about life’s smaller joys. “We have become so caught up with bigger things that we have stopped looking at the small pleasures,” says Gaurav.

At home in Gurugram, he avoids working. “To make videos I need silence and nobody around. In Gurgaon my focus is my parents’ well-being. We have to keep each other safe and healthy.”

And while he is away, Rajeshwari is taking good care of his plants, updating him about their well-being.

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