‘‘My Job is Simply to Make You Laugh”

Cosmo speaks to comedian and actor Vir Das on his Emmy nomination, the many challenges comics face, and what goes through his mind before a performance.

- Shambhavi Dutta

Cosmo: Your Netflix special, Vir Das: For India, was been nominated for the Emmys...how did that feel?

Vir Das: “Surreal! This Netflix special featured a blue door and a guy with a mic...it was a one-man show. But to be nominated alongside shows that probably had a budget of a couple of crores—whereas our blue door cost just ₹10,000—was really a blessing!” [Laughs]

C: What made you pursue comedy, full-time?

VD: “While studying at Knox College, Illinois, I had performed in over 40 plays. But I craved for something more organic, more rebellious... So I wrote a script for a stand-up comedy show in my final year—everyone loved it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, too. After you get a taste of that, it is very hard to do anything else.”

C: Did you ever think that you’d make it as a mainstream comedian?

VD: “I am often asked if I thought it through, but the truth is, I didn’t. I do not think that much. I showed up in Mumbai with a suitcase, just like many other people do. I am from Noida [Uttar Pradesh], and the fact that I get to be a part of something as big as this is amazing in itself.”

C: What is that one joke that never fails to make people laugh?