Vir Das on biggest learning from 'getting cancelled' and how a 'bucket list' led to new Mindfool world tour | Exclusive

Vir Das is embarking upon a world tour. The stand up comic, who also moonlights as an actor, is back on stage and will be performing across some iconic venues in various countries in what is being described as the biggest world tour by an Indian comic. Just before embarking on this ambitious Mindfool tour, Vir spoke to DNA about performing, audience feedback, and getting cancelled.

When the tickets for his tour were made available, the rush was such that the BookMyShow website crashed. When we tell Vir this, he laughs and says, “It’s very strange but I have the youngest fanbase, 80% of it is between the ages of 18-25. It’s a gigantic young population, who seem to be very quick on BookMyShow. So that is what caused the crash probably.”

But is it a big validation that your fans want to see you so much that ticket vendors’ sites are crashing? Vir replies a bit philosophically, “I try not to read too much into it because I have seen it come, seen it go, and then come back again. I do know there will be a phase again where the website will not crash and it will be very khaali (empty) for a long time. So, I try not to get used to these things. I just worry about the jokes.”

During the Mindfool tour, Vir will be performing at some big venues like Carnegie Hall and Sydney Opera House. The performer says he had a bucket list of iconic venues, which gave birth to this tour. “In the midst of a very dark year about a year and a half ago, when things were not going very well at all, I made a bucket list of historical venues across the month. I gave myself 18 months to achieve that. So it is definitely something that my team has manifested for me. I definitely made a list and sent it out to my team and said we need to make this happen,” says Vir.

He talks about a dark period in his life from about a year and a half ago, when things were not going well for him. When asked how does one stay positive or focussed in such a zone, Vir says, “In the middle of your success, you need goals and in the middle of your failure, you also need goals. If your goal does not entail the success or failure you are currently in, it won’t affect you that much. So if your show is a big hit or film is a hit at the box office, you need to be like ‘yes this is good but I have a scene to shoot tomorrow so need to focus on that too’. Similarly, if your movie bombs or show does not do well, then also you need to focus on what you need to do next. Then, I don’t think, the bubble of consequence follows you so much. Purpose drags you out of the bubble.”

With his Netflix specials and stage shows and tours, acting seems to have taken a backseat for Vir, we remark. But he corrects us, informing that not only is he shooting a film after years but has also worked in two different shows, all of which will be releasing soon. Then, why the gap, we ask. “About three-four years ago, I decided I wanted to get much better at stand up and just refocused. Then, for one year, I was cancelled. Now, that special did really well so since then the phone hasn’t stopped ringing. So things are looking up,” The ‘getting cancelled’ remark is in reference to the online furore that happened after his bit about two Indias fell foul of many on the internet. Talking about getting cancelled, Vir reveals his biggest learning from the experience. “You should write a joke about it when it happens,” says the comedian very matter-of-factly.

Social media has certainly changed the game for performers in terms of criticism and feedback. Addressing the backlash and people taking offence to comedy, Vir says, “I don’t think people getting offended or the powers that be getting offended is anything new. I just feel it is amplified a lot because of social media. Now, there is a voice that is as large as the artiste. We have to adapt to that. Earlier on, I could say my jokes and move on. But now, I have to honour the fact that you have a voice and it’s just important as mine is.”