Showing posts with label Vir Das. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vir Das. Show all posts
Baara Number is a found footage horror film-Shriya Pilgaonkar
10:24 AM
Yashika Mathur (HINDUSTAN TIMES; June 16, 2026)
Actor Shriya Pilgaonkar has a full kitty with Haiwaan and Mirzapur: The Movie releasing this year. Now, she will be a part of the upcoming film Baara Number.
“Baara Number is a found footage horror film, which is a very specific genre. It works because it blurs the difference between fiction and reality. As an actor it can be challenging and exciting,” the 37-year-old tells us.
Interestingly, the film will be helmed by actor-filmmaker Vir Das, marking a departure from his usual comic style. This comes even as indie small-budget film Obsession directed by Curry Barker, a comedian-turned-horror filmmaker became a surprise blockbuster globally.
Pilgaonkar says, “I love horror films and it is so fun to see the box office collections of recent horrors like Obsession and Backrooms... This is my second collaboration with Vir. The first time was in (an unreleased) web series P P Petals. We have built a good rapport ever since.”
The project features an ensemble cast including Sheeba Chaddha, Arunoday Singh, Ahsaas Channa. While Pilgaonkar remains tight-lipped about her role, she shares, “We haven’t started filming yet, we are still in pre-production and workshops will begin soon. The film will be shot in Mumbai.”
After Happy Patel, Vir Das to helm a horror movie next
10:47 AM
After Happy Patel, International Emmy winner Vir Das opens up on directing his next, which he had written after his ‘Two Indias’ controversy
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; January 26, 2026)
Humour is almost unarguably the first thing you associate with Vir Das. Horror, presumably the last. But the International Emmy-winning comic has a way of surprising people. After opening 2026 with his maiden directorial venture Happy Patel Khatarnak Jasoos, a spy comedy, the new director is planning to take his second film on floors later this year.
“I will hopefully make a pure horror movie next; not comedy at all,” he told mid-day. When we asked him whether he would also act in it, like he did in Happy Patel, he shared, “I hope so.”
The yet-untitled film has been with Das for a few years. He had put it on paper in 2021, following a controversy that was sparked by his monologue, Two Indias, a sharp commentary that examined the contradictions between the progressive idea of the country and its regressive reality. It led to outrage among certain sections of the Indian population that found his commentary offensive. As Das hit an unprecedented low in his career, he utilized the time to do what he knows best — write.
Recalling the genesis of the horror film, Das said, “I had a controversy [after which] no one would work with me for two years. We had a live tour and 192 brands said no to us. I had signed three acting projects; [they] went away. So, I sat on my bum for two years. The bright side is that it gave me time to write a comedy special [Landing] that won an [International] Emmy. It gave me time to write the next three things that I will make.”
Even as the controversy is behind him, the actor and director has found his own way to battle the trolling. “There are days when I believe that it’s a trade-off. It’s the price of all the love that I receive. Things like this are the price of the global audience you have, and you have to be willing to pay the tax.”
Vir Das recalls having a no cell phone policy on the sets of Happy Patel; says completed film 1.5x faster
3:10 PM
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; January 18, 2026)
With Happy Patel Khatarnak Jasoos, actor-director Vir Das has done everything that goes against mainstream Bollywood culture. At a time when Hindi cinema is dominated by heightened spy actioners led by angry alpha men, Das arrives with a spy comedy — one where the protagonist is the punchline.
It’s not just the film’s screenplay that is counter-culture; its making also goes against the grain of the Hindi film industry, Das tells mid-day. Producers have lately raised concerns over soaring entourage costs. So, the rules on the Happy Patel set — no mobile phones, no entourage, and one common hair and make-up crew for all — come as a surprise. For Das, the maths was simple. To finish the film on a tight budget and within a short schedule, he needed to do the opposite of what the industry considers normal.
“It is a tiny film, shot in 31 days. So, it was crucial to do this. We had six action sequences and 14 original pieces of music. We also had cameos from Aamir [Khan] and Imran [Khan]. We had to keep our costs down,” Das explains, adding that he is thrilled to have set a new culture on a movie set. “The no-cell phone policy benefited us. We sped up shooting by one and a half times.”
On the crew
Vir Das believes the expert crew helped complete the film in 31 days. Colourist Sidharth Meer also worked on ‘Homebound’ (2025). Costume designer Parakriti Rajpurohit designed outfits for ‘Sacred Games’ (2018,19). Parth Pandya has previously composed music for ‘Jigra’ (2024). Himman Dhamija, of ‘Mangal Pandey: The Rising’ (2005) fame, served as the DoP on ‘Happy Patel’.
Aamir Khan gives you money to shoot five scenes first-Vir Das
9:36 AM
Turning director with the spy comedy ‘Happy Patel’, International Emmy winner Vir Das breaks down producer Aamir Khan’s rigorous process of sharpening a film with mock shoots and 30 test screenings
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; January 16, 2026)
‘What the hell have you made?’ That is a question Vir Das admittedly heard frequently at a recent screening of Happy Patel Khatarnak Jasoos. “That is good feedback. Everybody seemed to be laughing,” said the actor and International Emmy-winning comedian, who has turned director with the spy comedy.
The idea of Happy Patel lurked in Das’s mind for almost 15 years. It needed the right time and the right producer. The actor got lucky on the second count. “After writing the script, I called Aamir [Khan] sir and said, ‘I’ve got this mad movie. You might be the only person who will produce it.’ He called me in. Keep in mind, I hadn’t spoken to him since Delhi Belly [2011].”
The superstar liked the script, but he needed Das and co-director Kavi Shastri to follow a process. First came a series of narrations. “There are five-six narrations with Aamir sir, during which he asks questions like ‘What is the story? What are the characters? What do they want?’ Once you’ve done that, he gives you a bit of money and makes you shoot five scenes of the movie. When we showed those scenes — graded, colour corrected, edited — to him, he greenlit the film,” recalled Das.
Khan’s involvement as a producer didn’t end there. He held around 30 test screenings. “After the second cut, he held screenings for people of different age groups and demographics. He told them, ‘Tell us what’s wrong with the movie. No praise allowed.’ [Based on that], we did our third and fourth cut.”
Even though the process was extensive, it was rewarding for Das. The actor and director shared, “The win is learning how to make a film from Aamir Khan. I wish every bhatkoing artiste finds the creative lighthouse that is Aamir.”
What’s ‘Pathaan’ got to do with it?
The idea of ‘Happy Patel’ struck Das, a fan of spy comedies like ‘Johnny English’, in 2009. But he had to wait as the Indian audience hadn’t woken up to spy films then.
“Culture has to be mainstream for comedy to counter it. So, I had to wait for ‘Tiger’, ‘Pathaan’ [2023], and ‘Dhurandhar’ [2025] to happen. Amogh Ranadive [co-writer] and I wrote the script in the month ‘Pathaan’ released,” said Das.
I faked appendicitis to get out of boarding school; my most convincing performance so far-Vir Das
8:51 AM
Vir Das mines a lifetime of comic survival in his new memoir—a wry manifesto on the art of standing just outside any room he walks into
Nisrin Saria (MID-DAY; November 16, 2025)
It was 7.45 pm when I clicked on the Zoom link. Then ping — “Vir’s iPhone” popped up, streaming in from New York City. It was surreal. My parents are massive Vir Das fans; my mother once set an alarm to snag tickets to his show in Worli, where he filmed Fool Volume. She hit “book” just seconds before the stadium sold out—this was a first for her. Das, meanwhile, has made a habit of firsts.
He’s the first Indian to win an International Emmy for comedy (Vir Das: Landing) and the first to headline a residency at Lincoln Center with Hey Stranger. “It’s like being back in drama school in my 40s,” he laughs. The show, he says, sits “halfway between a stand-up and a one-man show” — characters, arcs, even moments of silence sneaking between the laughs.
Now he’s also turned that restless outsider energy to the page with The Outsider: A Memoir for Misfits (HarperCollins). After his Emmy win, publishers came calling, but he hesitated. “I didn’t feel I had done enough yet,” he says simply. He agreed only if the book could be about “cluelessness and failure.” The result, he says, is “about a feeling most people share. Success isn’t that interesting — it’s boring. Struggling with it, complaining about it — that’s where the story is.”
The accidental author
Writing, he admits, was hard. “I’m dyslexic, so I talk first and then write it down,” he says. “It’s tough, but my favourite chapter is about my dog, Watson.” He’s spoken before about how dyslexia shapes his rhythm — a performer’s ear guiding his prose.
The trickiest part, though, was “leaving out arrogance and entitlement and making it connect with people who may not know me, who feel mid-journey rather than on top of the mountain.”
His Emmy, by the way, isn’t displayed on a shelf. “It’s wrapped with the sweaters, in the cupboard where we keep the garam kapda,” he grins. “It hasn’t changed my life, and it shouldn’t. I’m a comedian; if I went on stage with an Emmy in my hand, the show would be harder.” He admits he’s proud of it, “but in the end, it’s just something that belongs on a shelf.”
When he won it though, in 2023, he dedicated that Emmy — the first ever for an Indian comedian — to India, calling it a win for “every artist who dares to speak their truth.”
That ability to deflate grandeur with a joke isn’t new; it’s a reflex that’s been with him since childhood, a time that also makes an appearance in his memoir. “I faked appendicitis to get out of boarding school,” he laughs, calling it his “most convincing performance so far.”
He and his sister, author-filmmaker Trisha Das, were together at The Lawrence School, Sanawar. “Trisha was the first to read my book. We’re brutally honest; there’s no sugarcoating.” The award-winning writer, known for feminist retellings Ms Draupadi Kuru and The Misters Kuru, surprised him by being “quite complimentary.”
The education of a misfit
His time at Knox College in Illinois, Das says, “changed everything.” He’d gone there to study economics and left as a theatre student. “In India, education is thought-based; in the US, it was about emotion and expression. That suited me.”
It’s also where he first tried comedy. “For my graduation, I did a stand-up show called Brown Men Can’t Hump. It went really well, and I thought, maybe this is for me.” Years later, Knox would honour him with its Young Alumni Award, a full circle moment for the student who switched majors and never looked back.
What followed was a hustle: acting, theatre, late-night TV, even a rock-comedy band called Alien Chutney. Then came global visibility through his OTT specials and tours that sold out across continents. His Two Indias monologue, performed at the Kennedy Center in 2021, earned both standing ovations and backlash — he became the accidental face of the free-speech debate in Indian comedy, a flashpoint that made him, for better or worse, one of India’s most internationally recognizable comics.
Lost (and found) in translation
If Knox shaped his craft, the years that followed tested his resilience . Six weeks before filming Fool Volume, Das lost his voice. “It was like losing your life force,” he says. The recovery taught him to take himself less seriously. “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy, but I’m grateful it happened.” The episode softened his delivery and lent his quick-fire humour a disarming warmth.
“I’m five foot eight and a half, from Delhi Public School,” he laughs. “So the fact that I get to play Carnegie Hall or star in a movie — it’s statistically insane.” Bollywood, stand-up, writing, music — he’s tried them all. “That cluelessness comes with gratitude,” he says. “I just feel like I’ve been invited to the coolest party in the world. Now my job is to make people laugh.”
The line he keeps walking
Yet, he also says, “Comedians aren’t the life of the party. We’re the ones sitting in the corner making fun of the life of the party. We’re losers, socially anxious — and that’s what makes us comics.” It’s a strange job, he says, getting on stage to talk about your problems to strangers. “Best-case scenario, they see something of themselves in you.”
Clearly, many do. Das now tours sold-out venues from Melbourne to Montreal, Edinburgh to New York. “The audience keeps changing,” he says. “And so does the line [where creative liberty starts to feel like provocation]. My job’s just to keep walking it.”
I think people connected with the idea of being a ‘weird ass’-Vir Das
9:45 AM
A picture of the DVD that Vir Das had made
International Emmy Award winner Vir Das takes us back to his first self-produced ‘comedy special’ that led to his Bollywood break in Delhi Belly and his early shows
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 25, 2025)
Trust Vir Das to pull off the quirkiest audition hustle. No standing in queues outside casting offices, no e-mails, no agents. Circa 2007 — it was just Das and a DVD of his ‘comedy special’, as he pitched the idea of stand-up comedy to a country that had yet to wake up to the phenomenon. Armed with three cameras and his own savings, he shot his first stand-up special in the heart of Mumbai. The show was called Viragra — the starting point of a career that would lead him to an International Emmy Award in 2023.
“I shot it with three technicians. Vidyun Singh, the programming head at the India Habitat Centre, gave me the go-ahead to do a live show. I had a lakh in my account and spent Rs. 50–60,000 shooting it. There was a guy called Kapil, who ran Media Pro in Lokhandwala Market that made DVDs. My friend Kabir Singh designed the sound. I directed it, but ‘directing’ is a high compliment to pay for what that was,” smiled Das. It took him six months to write the special, another three months to ready the DVD, and only a day to supply it to all the video libraries from Mahim to Andheri.
“The first place I went to was a video library called Sarvodaya on Ambedkar Road in Bandra because all the directors would get their DVDs from there. I went to three libraries in Juhu, about five in Andheri, and three in Bandra.”
The plan was unusual, but effective. “I went to audition for Mumbai Salsa [2007]. On the way out, I left a DVD on Vikram Bhatt’s desk asking him to watch it. By the time I got to Bandra, he called and said, ‘You’re the hero’.” The DVDs also made it to casting directors, and in 2010, he got an audition call for Aamir Khan’s Delhi Belly (2011). “Somebody had sent a DVD to Ado Mukherjee, who was a casting director on Delhi Belly. I think people connected with the idea of being a ‘weird ass’, and then I formed a company with that name,” he said.
Between 2009 and 2011, as he bagged roles in movies, Das also led the growth of stand-up comedy in India. He has a special connection with The Habitat in Khar, where he would perform a lot of his early material. To date, he performs there every time he is testing new material. “Every comic needs to be sharpened by a crowd who won’t lie. The Habitat is my crowd that never lies. When I was starting out, there was hardly a stable scene for comedy. The comics and the audience have together built the scene from scratch. The early audience there gave me confidence.”
Two decades on stage, sold-out shows, and six Netflix specials later, Das still has one particular moment as his favourite. “When the lights go down before I go on stage, you hear the crowd shuffle. You hear them put their phones away, adjust in their seats. That moment scares the daylights out of you because you realize 12,000 people are shuffling with expectations.”
My jokes at Emmys will be a mix of US election, world events-Vir Das
8:21 AM
Becoming first Indian to host International Emmys, actor-comic Vir Das on how he’ll soon begin writing the material and the pressure of getting it right
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 16, 2024)
Last year, Vir Das bagged the International Emmy for Best Comedy for his special, Vir Das: Landing. Come November 25, the actor-comic will head back to the prestigious gala in New York—this time as the host. With this, he becomes the first Indian to achieve the feat. It’s quite an honour, but Das says he is “pretty chill” about it.
“We just announced it, but I’ve known about it for a few months. The expectations are high and I’ll celebrate if I get it right. I’m now starting to put pressure on myself. I’ll write it myself. The jokes will be a mix of things—it will be a few weeks after the American elections, enough things would’ve happened in the world. Plus, there will be many nominees and content makers in the audience whom I want to talk about. I want to get something like this absolutely right,” he shares.
It has been an eventful month for Das, who also featured in Call Me Bae, led by Ananya Panday. Creating the character of TRP-hungry news anchor for the Collin D’Cunha-directed series was deeply satisfying.
“I’m not the first person you think of when you think of a Dharma show. I didn’t want to make my character a YouTube sketch version of a journalist. So, Collin and I decided to make him a badass when he is in front of the camera; he can deliver lines. But we made him an idiot off camera. I played it with authenticity and a little bit of menace.”
Tell him the references for his news anchor act are obvious, and he says, “My first job was at CNBC. So, I’ve been in the newsroom long enough to know how journalists operate. At the core, he idolizes and resents privilege at the same time. He wants to wear Prada, but he also hates people in Prada.”
His next is a yet-untitled film that he has directed with Kavi Shastri for Aamir Khan Productions. Did he enjoy direction? “This project is the toughest and the most fun thing I’ve ever done. I fell in love with it, like I did with stand-up comedy. Now, I want to try and write the next five things I star in. I want to start doing what an Adam Sandler or a Ben Stiller does, which is creating projects. Also, I want to play a dark villain in a movie.”
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Set to host the upcoming International Emmy Awards, becoming the first Indian to do so, Vir Das just hopes to do his ‘thing and be authentic’
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 16, 2024)
Vir Das is making a grand return to the International Emmys. Last year, he won the Comedy award for his special Landing, but this time, the comedian-actor is set to make history as the first Indian to host the event on November 25.
“I won the Emmy last year, and after about four months, the team got in touch and said they wanted me to do this (host the event). I have known about it for a while, they just did the announcement now. It is a ridiculous privilege, to go from being a nominee, to becoming a category winner, to now hosting it. It is not something I expected. I didn’t even expect a nomination for my work last year. But, I am letting the people around me rejoice for now. I will only celebrate once the job is done,” Das tells us.
The 45-year-old is known for his tongue-in-cheek humour. But while hosting an event like the International Emmys, will he think twice before saying anything on stage, given some instances at such dos when jokes by stand-up artistes weren’t taken well? For instance, actor Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock during the Academy Awards in 2022.
Das says, “I am yet to start working on my script. But what’s funny is funny, no matter where you are in the world. Sensibilities might change. Anybody who got into trouble never thought they would. You can just do your thing and be authentic. Whatever happens then, happens,” quips Das.
He adds, “Let alone think twice before saying something on stage, I don’t even think once.”
Vir Das ecstatic to be the first Indian comedian to perform at London’s iconic Apollo Theatre
8:14 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 15, 2023)
The past four weeks have been straight out of a dream for Vir Das. Last month, the comic made India proud by bagging an Emmy for his special, Landing (2022). He followed that up with an appearance on The Daily Show with host Kal Penn. Now, Das is ready to tick another box off his bucket list. As part of his ongoing Mind Fool Tour, he is set to perform at the famed Apollo Theatre in London today. With this, he becomes the first Indian comedian to perform at the iconic venue.
The Apollo Theatre is steeped in musical history, having witnessed performances from iconic musicians, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and David Bowie, as well as contemporary music stars such as Selena Gomez and Kylie Minogue. Naturally then, taking the illustrious stage is a personal milestone of sorts for Das.
“Stepping onto the Apollo Theatre stage is not just a personal triumph, it’s a momentous occasion for Indian comedy. The energy of this historic venue, which has hosted musical legends and comedy icons alike, is both exhilarating and humbling. As I stand before a live audience of almost 5,000 people, I am driven by a desire to connect, bring joy, and be a bridge between cultures. The Mind Fool tour is my way of spreading laughter across borders,” he says.
The tour, which spans 37 countries, began in August and will run well into 2024.
I think you have to give us comedians the audacity to be imperfect-Vir Das
8:27 AM
From Noida to Nigeria to the stage in New York where he became the first Indian comedian to win an Emmy award, it’s been quite a journey for Vir Das. In an interview to Kritika Sharma, the 44-year-old talks about the early days of DIY standup, and his brush with controversy
Kritika Sharma (THE TIMES OF INDIA' November 26, 2023)
Congratulations on winning the Emmy. How’s the experience been?
I haven’t slept in about six days as I have seven shows lined up. But it has been a tremendous amount of love and nothing like I have ever experienced in my career. No one thought that we were going to be nominated for an Emmy and win the award, I wasn’t even supposed to be in America. I was supposed to be in Bengaluru and in other Indian cities. I went there to cheer for Shefali (Shah).
This was your second nomination. You must’ve had a hope that you would win this time?
I did not think I was going to win, because the last time I was there I lost to a massive show called ‘Call My Agent’. Even this time, I was against the massive Netflix show ‘Derry Girls’. I was kind of an underdog who got thrown in there.
Why do you think your special ‘Landing’ won?
The last show that I did ‘Vir Das: For India’ was very much like a comfort show — I like to think of it as rajma chawal. People thought that he is talking about all the things that we love, and it makes us feel like home. However, I realised that I had not let my audience into my personal life. I kind of went for it and let my audience know me with ‘Landing’. I think that resonated with the audience, as well as the idea of carrying the idea of home with us wherever we go. As we become more global, this is something that we can relate to.
Is there a difference between your audience in India and abroad?
Pretty much wherever I go it’s about 50-50 (Indians and locals). All of them expect an authentic Indian story. They already have a local, palatable version of the Indian diaspora from successful Indian American and British Indian comics, so they expect me to come up with something that they haven’t already heard of. That is kind of what I like doing, taking stories from Noida to Norway and stuff from DPS to Dublin.
Tell us a little about your initial journey as a stand-up.
I was quite young when I started, and looking for other people to collaborate with. Being a comedian is like being the only one in the room who sees the ghost, and you’re just kind of looking around to see if anybody else sees the ghost too. When you find that person, you kind of gravitate towards each other. That’s kind of how we started the comedy scene in India. In the early days, we used to do amateur nights and pretty much every senior comic in India came out of it. We had to do the ticketing, marketing and then do the headlining and ring the bell to let each other know that we were out of time. It was all DIY at that time, and it was a lot of fun. There was no context for what was good or bad comedy; we were just trying things.
Your Noida school teacher says you were interested in theatre as a child. How did the shift to comedy happen?
Ever since I was five years old, if you put me on the stage, I would be very comfortable. I did a bachelors in theatre minor from Knox college, Illinois. I had done some 25-30 plays and after that I needed an art form which was a little more organic and a little more rebellious. But the theatre training did help because it lets you be comfortable on stage.
Who are your inspirations in comedy?
Johny Lever. I think everyone should watch Johny Lever perform live, at least once in their lifetime. The others who inspire me are George Carlin and Richard Pryor.
Your 2021 monologue in Washington DC titled ‘I come from two Indias’ sparked a lot of outrage. How did you deal with it and what do you think about comedians being targeted in India?
I think you have to give us comedians the audacity to be imperfect. As for the trolls on social media, if you are going to take the freedom and traction that comes with social media to promote your art, then you have to take the flip side too. If I’ve ever been in the spotlight for any kind of reason, the first thing I’ve done is write a joke about it.
Do these things make you worry about how your audience is going to react to some jokes?
My audience is too diverse to predict what they are going to like and what they will not like. I just have to go with gut instinct, and hopefully they realize that it all comes from the same heart. The audience ranges from 18 to 60-year-olds with varying ideologies and religions. If I try and second guess myself, I will drive myself insane. I hope that they realize that this comedy is coming from a place of love.
When I walked off stage, I panicked and was asking people, ‘Please tell me I thanked everyone’-Vir Das
5:35 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 24, 2023)
Having performed in front of big and small crowds, in India and around the world, stand-up comedian Vir Das no longer finds it tough to make people laugh. He’s “hopeful” that his jokes are now “good enough” and will crack up the audience, but “it still requires work and manoeuvring,” he says.
Das won the International Emmy for Best Comedy for his Netflix show, Vir Das: Landing, which is tied with Derry Girls (Season 3). Ask if this win and the pressure of representing India affects him and he says, “I feel the pressure to be funny. Winning this trophy might add an extra thirty seconds to the applause that my audience will give me at the end of my show. And I am always grateful, but they tell me, ‘I spent money to buy a ticket, got a baby sitter or didn’t party for a month to save up, so make me laugh’. That’s the pressure [I feel], but I’m happy to take it on.”
When his name was announced, Das confesses that he blanked out. He says, “Laughter is laughter. This category allows underdogs to punch above their weight. When they took my name onstage, I was in shock. I don’t remember anything I said. When I walked off stage, I panicked and was asking people, ‘Please tell me I thanked everyone’ (laughs).”
The crowd will clap for me for Emmy but 90 seconds later, they’re going to say, ‘Come on, make us laugh’-Vir Das
8:23 AM
Cinching an Emmy Award for his show, Vir Das on finding fodder in his life’s perils—like the American pop singer does—to create the special
Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; November 23, 2023)
Several comedians would vouch for the fact that tragedy begets comedy. Soon after coming close to experiencing the death of his career, Vir Das is now celebrating a career milestone. Das, however, believes that his International Emmy Award win for his stand-up special, Landing, will not significantly change his life. “It was a good night; I met really good people who I respect and admire. It’s something I’ll remember for a long time,” he says, quick to add that within a few hours, he’ll be back to doing what he was meant to.
“I’ll be in Panchkula, Chandigarh, in 36 hours. When I stand on stage, [the crowd] will look at me and say, ‘We’re happy for you’. They’ll clap, [shower me] with love, and I’ll appreciate it. But, 90 seconds later, they’re going to say, ‘We got babysitters. We spent a damn ton of money and drove all this way to see you. Come on, make us laugh’.”
Das’s Landing could well be described as a personal anecdote, penned with the aim of giving a viewer a peek into his life, including the shame he encountered when his trajectory nosedived. “I had never put myself out there like I did with Landing. I was ready to share it with people. [I thought], if Taylor Swift gets to write about a rough night, why don’t I? I am hopeful that my narrative helps somebody else deal with their rough night.”
Among his inspirations are Johny Lever for the way he “owns the stage”, George Carlin for “saying the tough things that make people uncomfortable”, and Richard Pryor for tackling “very vulnerable situations”. But, when asked what sets him apart from his fellow comedians, Das refuses to analyze his work. “It’s none of my business. When I leave the stage, the viewer will [be assured of the fact that] I have given 600 per cent. Thereafter, the viewer can decide if that was good or bad.”
Like most evolving artistes, he struggles to watch his years-old content. “I cannot even watch stuff from two months ago. I don’t watch myself. If I can get through a whole year without having to look at myself, that will be a good year. Sometimes, when I [analyze] an old premise that I worked on, [I tell myself], look at what I did with that eight years ago, and what I can do with it today. Back then, it led to the [making of] two jokes, now it could have been 24. I didn’t know enough back then.”
He may not be able to chart a roadmap to the Emmys for aspiring comedians, but he encourages them to “write and rewrite”. “Also, they [viewers] have to know you. If you can get them to get to know you in the first 30 seconds and form a real connection, they’ll stick with you for 60 minutes. If you can’t, they’ll stick with you for 60 minutes, but might forget about you the next minute,” says Das, who is gearing up for his next stand-up special.
“MindFool is about not knowing how to adult. Most adults, I believe, are kids pretending to have their s**t together.”
The biggest misconception about humour is that it is not universal-Vir Das
8:15 AM
Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 22, 2023)
With many comedy specials to his name, Vir Das is a known name in the Indian as well as international comedy space. The actor-comedian says, “One of the biggest misconceptions about humour is that it’s not universal.”
Currently on his world tour, Das adds, “Funny is funny. When I go to America, the audiences comprises 50% of Norwegians. When I perform in Norway, 50% of them (the attendees) are British. The audience is always diverse. But, if you second-guess yourself [to try and figure out] what they are going to like and reverse engineer your jokes, you’d go insane.”
The 44-year-old’s comedy shows are geared towards the Indian diaspora. However, that doesn’t stop people from other cultures from attending his shows or attempting to understand his jokes.
“Whenever I perform in other countries, they have their local humour, too. But, the audience comes to your show to be surprised and wants you to take them across the world. It’s important to be authentically yourself and to consistently do your own thing. I do have to take an extra 30 seconds to explain [the joke to them and give them the cultural context], and they catch on. I don’t shy away from doing that extra work,” says The Bubble (2022) actor, who will next be seen in Call Me Bae.
Vir Das joins the cast of Ananya Panday-starrer Call Me Bae
8:38 AM
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 5, 2023)
In March, it was announced that Ananya Panday would make her web series debut with Call Me Bae. The slice-of-life comedy, backed by Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment, tells the story of a billionaire fashionista who is shunned by her family after she lands in a controversy. Now, we hear comedian-actor Vir Das is a part of the Collin D’Cunha-directed venture.
Sources say the stand-up comic was roped in late last year. “When scouting for the part, the director and creative minds behind the series wanted a sharp and funny guy. Vir was the instant choice. He was busy throughout 2022 with his comedy shows, but on returning to India this year, he shot for the series in a straight schedule from early January to February-end,” says a source, adding that Das’s role is being kept under wraps as it is integral to the narrative.
The Amazon Prime Video offering, which also features Gurfateh Pirzada, is expected to stream by the year-end.
Vir Das is all set to make the world laugh with his international tour 'Mind Fool'
8:26 AM
Vir Das to soon begin his tour to over 33 countries to tickle the audience’s funny bone
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 15, 2023)
Vir Das has unveiled his most ambitious world tour to date, titled Mind Fool. With a career that has skyrocketed in recent years, he has firmly established himself as one of the foremost international comedians, coming from India.
Spanning an impressive 33 countries, the Mind Fool world tour will take Das to some of the most iconic venues worldwide. Audiences can expect unforgettable performances at legendary locations including Carnegie Hall in New York, Opera House in Sydney, The Apollo in London, The Kennedy Centre in Washington DC, Dubai Opera in Dubai, and The Esplanade in Singapore, to name just a few. This lineup of prestigious venues sets the tour apart and solidifies Das’s status as a truly international comedian.
Mind Fool isn’t limited to these world-renowned destinations. The tour will also make its way to various other cities, showcasing Das’s unique brand of humor in Melbourne, Jakarta, Seattle, Cairo, Muscat, Tokyo, Auckland, and many more. There are 35 Indian cities, on the list as well. Kicking off in September 2023, the tour will be running until mid-2024.
Das says, “I am beyond excited to embark on the Mind Fool world tour, which promises to be a monumental milestone for Indian comedy. It’s a privilege to be recognized as an international comedian and to have the opportunity to perform at renowned venues like Carnegie Hall, Opera House, The Apollo, and The Kennedy Centre. This tour is not just about me; it’s about shining a spotlight on the incredible talent within the Indian comedy scene and inspiring artists around the world. Get ready for an unforgettable comedy extravaganza that will transcend borders and bring laughter to audiences across the globe.”
You can never predict what’s going to be controversial-Vir Das
8:15 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 30, 2023)
One can never be sure how a joke is going to land with the audience. That’s why comedian-actor Vir Das feels instead of worrying about the possibility of stirring controversy, one should give every joke at least one try.
When asked if people have started taking humour too seriously, Das opines, “We now live in a universe where you can never predict what’s going to be controversial. It could be literally anything, be it visual image, a joke or your choice of clothes.”
The 43-year-old shrugs off the idea of making a set with too much caution. “God [only] knows what will offend people. So, if you keep trying to guess what’s going to offend them, you are going to go insane. You’ve got to try using every joke at least once now to see the reaction. And then decide whether to keep it or not. Pehle joke bol toh do,” he adds.
The Delhi Belly (2011) and Shivaay (2016) actor spent all of last year on the road, touring over 25 countries for 183 shows. One of his shows was cancelled in Bengaluru, but the comedian took it in stride and says these things happen:
“It was cancelled because of various organizations getting involved. We had done three shows at the same venue earlier. With the Wanted tour, we sold over 65,000 tickets in India… If you are going to perform for 65,000 people, kabhi kabhi issue toh aayega hi. And it’s fine. You have to deal with all this. For me, this happens once a year.”
Some shows were in stadiums with thousands in attendance and some in pubs-Vir Das
8:31 AM
After touring for a year, Vir Das says he is ready to take a pause and embrace the silence
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; January 11, 2023)
Vir Das spent all of 2022 on the road, touring over 25 countries through 183 shows, and is now ready to take a pause and embrace the silence. The comedian-actor says the tour helped him fall in love with stand-up comedy once again.
“I spent the pandemic (two and a half years) acting, going from one set to another, and had kind of forgotten what a privilege it is to be on tour, and how tough it is. You really have to agonize about every single word, and put in the hours,” Das confesses. The 43-year-old says, “So I took most of this year off, just to be on tour and not to act. And I fell in love with stand up again.”
In fact, being on the road inspired him to infuse all his tour experiences into his latest stand up special, Landing. He explains, “The special comes off from the point when you are heading home after having been to 25 countries, doing 183 shows. When you are about to land, you think about home, childhood and how you got to this point. The theme of the show is what it means to come home, have a home, and what it means to be an Indian who gets to see the entire world.”
So, what does it mean to come back home?
“For me, it’s a feeling of comfortable silence. I tend to perform for millions of people every year. And that life tends to be the sound of an airplane, an airport, busy traffic and freeway, and then the sound of thousands of people laughing and screaming. To come home is truly like not having those sounds, and to have the ability to sit in silence. That, to me, is comfortable,” says Das, who has also acted in Whiskey Cavalier and Hasmukh.
Talking about the lessons he learnt while on tour, Das says, “The plan was to write the best show anyone has ever written, so that we set a rule that every stage is a good stage. And every crowd size, a good crowd size”. “I went to cities I have never been to, like Guwahati. We did about 47 cities in India. Some shows were in stadiums with thousands in attendance and some in pubs like the one in Shillong. The show in Shillong was as good, just not as profitable. But if you love the art, these things don’t matter,” he adds.
Right now, Das is on a break from touring, and is focusing on writing content for his acting gigs.
There is no pressure because I represent laughter; leaders represent India-Vir Das
8:36 AM
With comedians being increasingly scrutinized, Landing star Vir Das says stand-up comics should be viewed as ambassadors for laughs, not country
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; December 27, 2022)
What is home? The place where you grew up, or the one where you belong? Is it a familiar pin code, or the sense of safety that comes from familiarity? That’s what Vir Das attempts to decode with his latest special, Landing. The subject stemmed from a natural curiosity that arose after travelling extensively this year.
“I travelled to 25 countries this year. [It made me] question the notion of home, and I began to realize that home is not a place. It’s a feeling [derived from] largely other people. That’s the central idea of this special — what it means to feel at home,” begins the actor-comedian.
The Netflix special marks the comedian’s return to the stage after almost three years. He had taken a break to focus on his acting projects. But soon, the comedian in him was missing the reverberating sound of laughter in an auditorium.
“I haven’t toured in the past three years. I mainly acted. But I have built a 10-year touring career. So, when it came to [Landing], I cancelled all my projects, and took eight months to rebuild my touring career,” he says fondly.
While it’s natural to feel nervous holding the mic after a substantial gap, Das says his audiences are his support system. “I always let them be my teacher and guide. I have an intelligent, educated audience, who are interactive. So [when] I try something, they recognize that I am imperfect as an artiste. They give me the freedom to be imperfect.”
But freedom does not come easy, especially in today’s times, when jokes are taken out of context and comedians are harshly judged for their political commentary. Last year, Das’s monologue from Two Indias had received polarised responses across the country, with some detractors lodging police complaints. Does that put any pressure on him to represent the country?
“There is no pressure because I represent laughter; leaders represent India. My job is just to make people laugh. People who come to my shows work hard. They travel cities and get babysitters [so that they can attend the show]. My job is to make them smile for those 90 minutes.”
After Bengaluru, Vir Das’s show in Hyderabad cancelled
8:16 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (November 14, 2022)
Hyderabad: Popular standup comedian Vir Das’s show in Hyderabad, scheduled for November 20, has been cancelled. The actor-comedian was set to perform at Shilpakala Vedika auditorium in Hyderabad. Confirming this cancellation, a representative from Shilpakala Vedika told TOI that the organisers did not specify the reasons for cancelling the show.
A week ago, organisers of the show had approached the Madhapur police seeking permission for the event. However, police officials, said they have not received any communication from the organisers about the cancellation.
Recently, Das’ show in Bengaluru was cancelled after right-wing organizations staged protests against him and accused him of making defamatory statements against the country.
Later, Das performed at Kolkata on November 11 and was supposed to go on to perform in Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Ludhiana and Chandigarh this month. However, the link posted on his Instagram account to book tickets reflected that his standup shows are not available in any of these Indian cities anymore.
Vir Das’s Bengaluru show cancelled after right-wing protest
8:48 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (November 11, 2022)
Bengaluru: Stand-up comedian Vir Das’s show in Bengaluru on Thursday evening has been cancelled following protests by a right-wing group. The move came days after the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) wrote to police demanding cancellation of the show, alleging that Das had defamed the country in the past. On Thursday morning, rightwing activists held a protest raising objections to the show.
Subbaraj Urs, president of Chowdiah Memorial Hall, where the event was scheduled, confirmed that the show had been cancelled. Tickets, priced between Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 3,500, were sold out, but buyers will now be refunded after police gave in to HJS demand not to allow the show to happen.
Posting a video on his Twitter handle, Das said: “I made this video after one of my shows, just in case any assumptions were made about my content. I have no interest in being used for headlines. I’m an artiste. I trust my art and my audience to speak for me.”
HJS state spokesperson Mohan Gowda had sent a memorandum to police on Monday, alleging the comedian had made derogatory remarks against “women, our PM and India” during a performance in the US and had presented the country in a bad light.
Vir Das booked for violation of copyright by theatre producer Ashvin Gidwani
8:40 AM
THE TIMES OF INDIA (November 8, 2022)
Mumbai: The Cuffe Parade police on Friday booked actor and stand-up comedian Vir Das and three others for violation of copyright. Theatre producer Ashvin Gidwani, the complainant, told police that Das had copied 12 jokes from the script of a previous show produced by him. The actor had allegedly included these jokes in his famous show streaming on an OTT platform.
Gidwani, producer of several popular plays, and Das had worked together over 10 years ago in a famous show, History of India VIRitten. Das had performed in this show at St. Andrew’s auditorium.
Gidwani told the police that in 2019, his company and Das decided to sign a new contract to telecast the same show with minor changes on the OTT platform. He alleged that the stand-up comic went ahead with the concept and developed his own show out of it. In January 2020, when he saw the promo of Das’, he realised that one of the jokes had been allegedly copied from their earlier show.
He immediately issued a notice to the actor and the OTT platform for violation of copyrights, but Gidwani alleged that Das apparently stated that there was no such violation. Once the show was aired, Gidwani told the police that he found that 12 jokes were copied. When TOI tried to contact Vir Das, his manager said that a private legal firm was handling the matter.
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