MUMBAI: He has tickled the funny bone with his portrayals as the innocent Choocha in "Fukrey" and cute campus boy Sexa in "Chhichhore". Varun Sharma would tell you comedy is serious business and that people trying to make others laugh should not be taken lightly.

There has been a shift where actors who wear the hat of a funnyman in films are now taken seriously. How does Varun see this evolution? "Comedy is actually a very serious business. It is not easy, it is a tough thing to do. In our personal lives we have stopped making people laugh or making them smile, and I am getting a chance to do that in the film industry. For any actor, it is a blessing to do that," Varun told IANS.

He agrees there is a shift. "Of course, the shift has happened and people in the comedy genre are taken seriously, and why not? It is a hugely accepted genre. It is entertainment you want to go for with your family, have a great laugh and go back home happy," said Varun.

"The people who are trying to make that happen, of course, should be taken seriously. It is because of the audience that the shift is happening. The audience is giving love to different films such as Sonu Ke Titu (Ki Sweety), Fukrey, (Pyaar Ka) Punchama and Chhichhore. There are a lot of opportunities that are opening up," added Varun, who currently awaits the release of the horror comedy, Roohi.