Vir Das recalls career setback after Two Indias controversy

Vir Das is one of the most successful and internationally recognized stand-up comedians from India, but his rise to global fame hasn’t come without hurdles. With multiple comedy specials, films, and even an International Emmy to his name, Vir has also experienced significant career lows. In a recent interview with mid-Day’s Sit With Hitlist, he reflected on one of the toughest periods in his life — the aftermath of his controversial monologue, Two Indias.

Vir Das did not get work after Two Indias

During the pandemic, Vir and his wife Shivani moved to Goa with their pet dog. While he returned to Mumbai once restrictions lifted and work resumed, his time in Goa coincided with the peak of the controversy.

“I had no work for a year and a half after the controversy. It was silent. The phone wasn’t ringing. So I stayed in Goa, worked on myself, and focused on writing,” Vir said.

He added that even when the phone did ring, it wasn’t for the right reasons. “If the phone was ringing, it wasn’t a happy call,” he recalled, referring to angry calls from people who objected to his performance.

“The phone was off for four months after that. And there was no work. Then we did Landing, the Netflix special — and that jumpstarted everything again,” he shared.

About the ‘Two Indias’ controversy

On November 12, 2021, Vir Das performed a six-minute monologue titled I Come From Two Indias at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as part of his world tour. In it, he highlighted stark contrasts in Indian society, saying things like, “I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gang-rape them at night.” He also touched on issues such as air pollution, farmer protests, media hypocrisy, and religious intolerance.

After uploading the video online, Vir faced severe backlash. Right-wing politicians and activists accused him of insulting India and damaging its image abroad. Multiple police complaints were filed, and he became the focus of intense debate on national television.

Actress Kangana Ranaut called his comments “soft terrorism” and demanded legal action. However, several opposition leaders and members of the public stood by Vir. Shashi Tharoor praised the monologue as morally courageous, while Kapil Sibal pointed out that India is full of contradictions, hypocrisy, and intolerance.

Vir Das later clarified that the piece was intended as satire to highlight India’s complexities, not to malign the nation. He also noted that it ends with a patriotic applause, celebrating the spirit of India.