Sunil Grover Was Hospitalised Due to Depression, Nearly Removed From Kapil Sharma’s Show, Reveals Upasana Singh
Sunil Grover Was Hospitalised Due to Depression, Nearly Removed From Kapil Sharma’s Show, Reveals Upasana Singh
Sunil Grover, now one of India’s most adored comedy stars, had a difficult beginning during his early days on The Kapil Sharma Show. Despite later becoming famous for iconic characters like Gutthi, Dr. Mashoor Gulati, and Rinku Bhabhi, he once faced doubts from the show’s makers.
Upasana Singh, who worked alongside Sunil on Kapil’s team, shared in an interview with Lallantop Cinema that during the initial phase, the creative team felt Sunil wasn’t fitting in. She explained that Sunil’s slower speaking pace made the executives believe he couldn’t match the rest of the cast, and they even considered removing him. Upasana said she strongly supported him, assuring the team that he was an excellent actor who deserved to stay.
Upasana also revealed that Sunil was struggling with depression when the show began. She said he told her he had been hospitalised due to the condition and, since he didn’t have much work then, he wasn’t in a good emotional space. When Kapil and Sunil once visited her home, she barely recognised him because he was so low at that time. She added that he eventually overcame those struggles and went on to shine, and they remain close friends today.
Over time, Sunil’s remarkable ability to switch between characters with humour and depth helped him become a household favourite. His on-screen partnership with Kapil Sharma created some of Indian television’s most memorable comedy moments. Even though their off-screen disagreements often surfaced in the news, their on-screen chemistry continued to win hearts.
Sunil eventually quit the show following the much-discussed 2017 flight incident, where Kapil Sharma was accused of behaving badly with him. Kapil later addressed the matter in a Bollywood Hungama interview, saying that although a disagreement happened, many reports were exaggerated by sections of digital media.
Kapil publicly apologised to Sunil on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“Paji Sunil Grover sorry if I hurt you unintentionally. You know very well how much I love you. I am also upset. love and regards always:)”
Sunil responded on X with:
“Bha ji! Yes, You hurt me deeply. Working with you has been a learning experience. Just one advice start respecting human beings also apart from animals. All are not as successful as you are. All are not as talented as you are. But if they all are talented like you, who will value you. So, have some gratitude towards their existence. And also, If someone is correcting you, don’t abuse that person.”
Despite past tensions, Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover eventually reunited for The Great Indian Kapil Show on Netflix, which premiered last year, marking a fresh start for both comedians.
