Out standing
Stand-up comedian and actor Vir Das revels in the energy of his shows and the response of his audience
Photo: Shiv Kumar PushpakarNO WAY! Vir Das says his shows are intelligent, not embarrassing
Not long ago, 30-year-old Delhiite and stand-up comedian Vir Das “reappeared” in the Capital after five years to give a performance called “Walking on Broken Das”. “It’s the hall where I began my career,” says Vir, on a note of nostalgia. The show also featured Alien Chutney, Nassar Davis, Ravi Darsan and Sara Samadhan, members of Vir’s company whopep up the audience before Vir enters the stage.Cheeky innuendo
Born and brought up in Delhi, Vir speaks so fast, that it’s hard sometimes toeven make sense of what he says. In fact, you might have missed one of his cheeky innuendoes. So why does this alumnus of Delhi University’s Venkateswara College thrive on jokes that must surely embarrass the family audiences at his shows?
“Embarrass?” he laughs, “Don’t those who come to my shows go to bed every night and have private moments? Let me tell you that my audiences love my shows, else they wouldn’t be packed! I manage to do ‘all that’ with intelligence. And my audiences are no less intelligent. Those who call my show ‘embarrassing’ are the same who admire the erotic images in Khajuraho, but stealthily!”
Vir is incredibly energetic and active on the stage. He screams, jives, makes funny faces, mocks at the audience, yet manages applause. He doesn’t falter even when switching topics wildly. He has mastered the art of “blabbering” as he puts it. And of course, he does not shy away from dialogues bordering on the ribald.
He divulges the secret. “The success of the show depends on the first few minutes. If you are able to capture their attention for the first three to five minutes, you are bound to have a roaring…More
