'Kapil is genuinely unwell'

'I feel sad that a man who still has the capacity to entertain will not be around for some time.'
'It's a loss for the entire nation.'
'A fabulous talent not being on television for some time is a great loss for viewers.'
'Let us pray he gets well soon.'

Even as Kapil Sharma is dogged by controversy, his friends and co-actors have rallied around him.

Kiku Sharda, who worked with Kapil on Comedy Nights With Kapil as well as The Kapil Sharma Show, asks everyone to give the comic space.

The controversy currently swirling around Kapil commenced after he tweeted abuses at a film journalist and reportedly followed it up with an even more abusive phone conversation that has since gone viral.

Kapil later filed a police complaint against the journalist, his former manager Preeti Simoes and her sister Neeti Simoes.

His latest show Family Time With Kapil has also gone off air, and it's unclear if Kapil will shoot for it again.

"I have met people who have told us that grandparents in hospital had smiles on their faces only because they were watching Kapil's show," Kiku tells Rajul Hegde.

What do you think has gone wrong with Kapil?

Kapil is genuinely unwell.

He has openly said that he is suffering from depression and needs to take time off.

I think people should give him that time off.

Right now, he has obviously reacted to something -- I am not saying if the way he reacted is right or wrong.

The point is that he has reacted to a person who has been writing against him.

I have been working with Kapil even after the team parted and I know what happened last year.

The concerned Web site has been writing a lot of rubbish. He (the journalist) has written about what happened in the aircraft (referring to Kapil's fight with Sunil Grover), and who said what.

How he is supposed to know all that?

Where does he get all this information?

I have kept quiet and not reacted because I want to keep my cool and keep working.

The concerned Web site has called me once or twice and I have told them I don't have any desire to talk to them because I don't like the way they conduct themselves.

It is sad that these guys have been constantly writing about Kapil not doing well and that he is finished.

A shoot gets cancelled and you have the right to write about it.

But beyond that, those extra words you have been using for the man, who has entertained the country for four years, is unfair.

For the love of humour and for the love of having a good family time, you should spare him.

Do you think Kapil should have reacted the way he did?

Sometimes in life you cannot have such black and white questions, like this one.

If a man is saying, 'Don't come close to me because I am unwell,' you should respect that.

Even after that if you poke that person, whose fault is that?

I am not justifying his actions, but when he himself is asking for space and time, you are poking him on a regular basis. It should have been avoided.

He is not well.

I feel sad that a man who still has the capacity to entertain will not be around for some time.

It's a loss for the entire nation.

I have met people who have told us that grandparents in hospital had smiles on their faces only because they were watching Kapil's show.

People with illnesses have come to us and said they want to watch the show live just once.

What is this? It's pure love.

If someone cannot appreciate this, I feel sad.

Preeti Simoes, the creative director of his previous show, has said that Kapil is surrounded by wrong people. He is suicidal and needs medical help.

These are personal equations and I don't want to delve into them.

When she was around, she was a hands-on person and did a great job in what she did.

But apart from her, a lot of actors were also a part of the show.

When she left, a few actors also left. It was a tough time.

I was around and was still working on the show with Kapil.

But that magic was created with everyone around.

We tried to keep the show running, and in the midst of all that, Kapil wasn't keeping well.

We had to cancel shoots, sometimes at the last minute.

So it was decided, by Kapil, that it's better to not be around than not be up to the mark. It was a fair decision.

Have you met Kapil recently?

I would not like to inform anyone about that.

My request is give him the space that he deserves.

If I talk to you about him and what happened in the last few days, it will not give him space.

Please give him one more chance to recover and come back.

A lot of people say he could not handle his success and now he cannot handle his failure either.

The negativity in this question disturbs me.

He is an extremely talented guy and I have worked with him for so long.

I have learnt so much from him.

A fabulous talent not being on television for some time is a great loss for viewers.

Let us pray he gets well soon.