Vir Das Wants You to Scream Your Happiness
Ahead of ‘Fool Volume,’ the comic opens up about nazar, Shah Rukh Khan, and banning chicken tikka masala.
Comedian, actor, and director Vir Das refuses to play it safe. When he arrived in Mumbai with a suitcase and big dreams, the city’s stand-up scene was barely there. He quickly broke into film and TV, with roles in Badmaash Company (2010), Delhi Belly (2011), and, most recently, Call Me Bae (2024). But Das didn’t stop there — he went global, performing hundreds of shows across the world and releasing six comedy specials. In 2023, he became the first Indian to win an International Emmy Award for Best Comedy, with Vir Das: Landing. Off stage, Das is just as unscripted. His social media is full of chaotic takes on food, fashion, colonizers, and more.
We caught up with Das hours before he dropped his latest Netflix special, Fool Volume. He was candid, introspective, and hilarious — and spoke about losing his voice, the moment Shah Rukh Khan kissed him (on the cheek!), and why it’s time to ban chicken tikka masala.
We have edited this interview for length and clarity.