Vir Das talks about stand-up comedy, his show on Netflix and initial years of getting the right break. By Vaibhav Ratra
Stand-up comedian Vir Das was always a global Indian. It is just that he is now selling his Indian understanding of worldly affairs rather unapologetically on an international streaming service. Yes, Netflix has picked him up for a series titled Abroad Understanding.
“I was doing a show for somebody else when they (Netflix execs) saw me and offered me this special. I was really happy and excited to do it at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Delhi. Then they decided to shoot it in America to build an international market. I performed at a small basement comedy club in New York. The show is about my journey across the world, personal issues, failures and broader human concerns like racism and homophobia. And I do not have to tweak myself for Western understanding. It will be my undiluted, uniquely Indian perception of life,” he told us.
Das got a little nostalgic while talking about his journey. “My journey as a stand-up comedian started in the final year of my PhD programme, where I had to do a performance. I chose stand-up comedy as an incubatory medium of theatre. Earlier my family was a little worried about my chosen career path but they have always been supportive. It helped that in a few years, I was getting to do shows. We booked the Habitat Centre for a show called Not For Members because I was afraid only members would turn up and not the cool, young kids. But people did turn up and things went up from there,” he said.
“In the early years, I was mostly influenced by Johnny lever and George Carlin because they kept working hard and brought something unique every single time. They had the impressive ability of holding the crowd and through them, I learnt the importance of humility. Praising them is like holding a candle to the sun,” Das mentioned.
He has some interesting films up his sleeve. “I have Khanna Patel where I’m stuck between two khadoos characters, played by Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal.”
Despite his success, Das doesn’t let up, constantly going back to the drawing board and reviewing his mistakes. “While looking back at your work, you often tend to notice what you did wrong. Whenever I watch my stand-up acts or my film, I mostly wonder if I should have done it differently or better. An artiste can never be satisfied but be forever hungry,” he surmised.
Das is looking to expand the frontiers of comedy. “I think comedy rock or musical comedy is a big vertical that is yet to be explored in India. I’m also writing a new comedy show, which will be personal and a little mellow in comparison with my previous acts,” he said, signing off.