Jaspal Bhatti is a Kejriwal of comedy

In a sense, he was the Kejriwal of comedy: relentlessly crusading against corruption through street plays, television shows and, also cinema.
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For millions who grew up watching Doordarshan in the late 1980s, satirist Jaspal Bhatti, who died in a car accident on Thursday, was always intelligent fun. He didn't need big money to create meaningful and memorable comedy on the plight of the common man. Cult programmes such as 'Ulta Pulta' and 'Flop Show' —that irreverent comic capsule often used as fillers in those pre-satellite TV days —were made on G-string budgets and relied heavily on his crackling wit and deadpan dialogue delivery. From the professor who exploits his PhD student to the crooked telephone mechanic who manufactures inflated bills — Bhatti spared none. But he focused mainly on critiquing the system and those who, he felt, were primarily responsible for the rot —the bureaucrat and the politician.

He was also a master in the art of capturing the attention of the media: he prepared a Save the Corrupt Bill and demanded the Right to Scam be turned into a fundamental right. Jaspal Bhatti acted in about 20 Hindi films including 'Fanaa' (2006) and, more recently, in Pankaj Kapoor's 'Mausam' (2011). But the sardar of satire will be remembered for his television shows that can be seen for free on video broadcasting websites.Bhatti is survived by his wife, son and daughter, Raabiya. He was cremated in Chandigarh on Thursday evening.

Satirist Jaspal Bhatti dies in car crash

Jaspal Bhatti, who used comedy to campaign against corruption and brought socially-aware satire to thousands of drawing rooms through television, died in a car crash on Thursday. He was 57.

The accident took place when Bhatti's car, driven by his son Jasraj, smashed into a tree near Shahkot, about 45 km from Jalandhar around 1 am. Bhatti sr was sitting on the rear seat and suffered a head injury which proved fatal. Jasraj and the film's heroine Surilee — sister of 'Vicky Donor' heroine Yami Gautam — who were in the front seat received minor injuries. "There was a turn on the road and the car hit the tree on the other side. Either Jasraj did not notice the turn or slept off," Shahkot deputy superintendent of police MS Bhullar told TOI after meeting Jasraj at a Ludhiana hospital.

Bhatti and company were coming back from Bathinda where they, in the humorist's inimitable style, had "worshipped" a thermal energy plant to "seek blessings" for the success of his venture, Power Cut, which was to premiere on Friday. The Amritsar-born actor-director had named his hero "Current" and the female lead "Bijli."