Mumbai: Actor Manoj Bajpayee has reacted to the ongoing debate over humour involving immigrants in comedian Samay Raina’s show India’s Got Latent, saying people should learn to laugh at themselves while maintaining respect for others.

The actor recently spoke during the promotions of his upcoming film Last Man in Tower. He was asked about an incident on Raina’s show involving comedian Sharon Verma, where the two engaged in a humorous exchange while mocking each other’s roots.

Reacting to the incident, Manoj said that he does not mind such jokes when they are made in jest and people involved are comfortable with each other.

“If it is all in jest, I actually don’t mind it. We should learn to laugh at ourselves and laugh together, laugh at each other and still not be hurt and offended,” he said.

Manoj Bajpayee Says Respect Is Important

The actor said people should be able to have humour about themselves while also respecting the person they are interacting with and their background.

“We should have humor about ourselves but at the same time we should have respect, not only for ourselves but also for the person that you are sitting with and where that person comes from. It’s very very important,” he said.

He added that when two people are comfortable with each other, they can often laugh at each other without taking offence.

“If two people are very easy with each other, they always laugh at each other,” Manoj said.

Manoj Recalls Incident From His Delhi Days

The actor then recalled an incident from his early days in Delhi when a bus driver spoke harshly to him while he was trying to board a bus.

“When I was in Delhi, I was 18, and I was trying to get into a bus from the front door because this was my first time. So, I didn’t know the rules of the city,” he recalled.

According to Manoj, the driver shouted at him, “Aye Bihari board from the back gate.”

The actor said he did not take offence at the remark, explaining that he was indeed from Bihar and was unfamiliar with the city’s rules at the time.

“So, he didn’t know that I was from Bihar but actually I’m from Bihar. So, for him, every person who was doing that kind of a foolish mistake was from Bihar,” he said.

‘That’s a Sign of a Very Healthy Society’

Manoj said that after making friends from different states, they would often joke about each other’s backgrounds without getting offended.

“We never got offended or hurt. But yes, there is a problem if somebody coming from somewhere becomes a problem for you or becomes a problem for the community. Then there is a problem,” he said.

“Till then it’s, we should be able to laugh at each other, laugh at ourselves. That’s a sign of a very healthy society,” the actor added.