Humour of the 90s is rare: Raveena

Bollywood actor says today’s filmmakers are overly cautious, making it difficult to recreate the uninhibited, fearless comedy that defined the 1990s 

Actor Raveena Tandon says humour in the 90s was uninhibited and unapologetic, something that is difficult to replicate in movies today as one never knows what will trigger a social media debate. Tandon credits comedy hits like Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Aunty No. 1, Dulhe Raja, Pardesi Babu, Akhiyon Se Goli Maare and many more as the backbone of her career in Bollywood. But she believes the landscape has changed drastically over the years.

“Making people laugh without someone getting offended is probably the ultimate tightrope walk today, it is tough... In the 90s, there was an uninhibited, innocent, and totally unapologetic madness to our films. Chi Chi (Govinda) and I would react purely on instinct. We weren’t overthinking how a joke would look on a 15-second internet clip or if a line would trigger a social media debate,” Tandon told PTI. “...That raw, purely character-driven, loud-and-proud humour of the 90s is rare now because filmmakers are constantly second-guessing themselves. We’ve become a bit too cautious, and comedy desperately needs freedom to breathe,” she added.

The actor has made a comeback to the genre in Welcome to the Jungle, a multi-starrer comedy that reunites Tandon with her 90s Mohra co-stars Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty.

“Comedy taught me spontaneity, improvisation, and the importance of losing all inhibitions on screen. It is an incredibly giving genre, if you can successfully make people laugh, they keep you in their hearts forever. Returning to it now with Welcome to the Jungle feels like coming home to a room full of old friends,” she said. “Comedy has honestly been the backbone of my commercial identity. While intense, dramatic roles like Daman or Satta gave me critical validation and the National Award, it was comedy that built my deep connection with the masses. Even today, kids who weren’t even born in the 90s know me because of those loops on television and social media.” 

Making people laugh without someone getting offended is probably the ultimate tightrope walk today, it is tough... In the 90s, there was an uninhibited, innocent, and totally unapologetic madness to our films

-Raveena Tandon