Onika Maheshwari/ New Delhi 

Many young children are caught mimicking their teachers in school and punished for it. Interestingly, this is how the journey of Sharif Bharti, the famous standalone comedian who makes Indians laugh through his television shows, began. 

Speaking with Awaz-the Voice, on the phone from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, Sharif Bharti said he did his first comedy TV reality show 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge Season 3' in 2007 in which he faced India's most popular comedian Kapil Sharma. 

He has been given the title of India's Laughter Bomb.

After this, he participated in many famous comedy TV reality programmes like 'Good Night India', 'Wah Wah Kya Baat Hai', Bahut Khoob, etc. hosted by the famous humorist poet Shailesh Lodha. 

Sharif Bharti said that working his way up was not easy as he started with doing comedy at home, and school and ultimately came on the television. It was a hard struggle for him.

Sharif Bharti in a TV reality show

He believes comedy is a 'God-given’ art; he has only worked to chisel it.

The Moradabad-born Sharif Bhart says he was inclined to comedy and humour as a child. He also recites his poems.

Sharif Bharti, 60, says as a school-going child, he was interested in creative writing. “Everyone liked to sit and laugh with me. I would mimic my teachers in school and make everyone laugh.”

When his teachers knew about this, they advised Sharif Bharti to use his art in the right direction. One of the teachers told him to mimic famous actors to increase his appeal and viewership.

This was a great idea for young Sharif. He started mimicry of famous Bollywood stars like Hema Malini, Prem Chopra, Amrish Puri, Dharmendra, Shatrughan Sinha, Johnny Walker, Rajkumar, etc.

Sharif Bharti with Sailesh Lodha

Soon he was performing comedy on small stages while continuing his studies. Soon he became famous in his city and authorities like the District Magistrate, etc. came to his house to listen to his jokes.

Sharif became friends with the top officials of the District.

In 1987, Sharif Bharti met the legendary poet Hullad Moradabadi who took him under his wings. His life changed thereafter as he picked many nuances of comedy from Moradabadi.

Narrating his childhood experience, Sharif Bharti said as he was fond of singing as a child he was invited to sing at the annual Ramlila.

Initially, his elder brother objected to it. The family was passing through a difficult phase after the death of his father and for this reason, his brother and mother wanted him to focus on studies.

“They wanted me to work hard and join the government service,” he said, However, after seeing his popularity, the family also withdrew their objections and supported Bharti. Soon, Sharif was receiving calls for poetry recitations and comedy shows.

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This initiated him into television, accolades followed and the sky became his limit.