Top five moments from Vir Das's Netflix special that almost got him cancelled in India but won him an iEmmy
Vir Das won the 2023 International Emmy Award for Best Comedy. (Photos: X/Vir Das)
Indian comedian Vir Das has achieved something historic by winning the International Emmy Award for Best Comedian. However, his award-winning Netflix special, "Vir Das: Landing," received its fair share of problematic response and criticism in his home country.
What
- Indian comedian and actor Vir Das made history after winning an International Emmy Award for Best Comedy for his Netflix show 'Vir Das: Landing.'
Thank you for your laughter 🙏🇮🇳 @NetflixIndia @iemmys pic.twitter.com/4849GbZkt2
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) November 21, 2023
- Vir Das was declared a joint winner in this category, sharing the honor with 'Derry Girls - Season 3.'
- This marks a significant moment in his career, emphasizing his comedy talent on a global stage.
India almost cancelled the Emmy winner
- Winning an International Emmy Award is a significant milestone for a stand-up comedian, representing a historic moment for India in the global entertainment industry.
For India 🇮🇳 For Indian Comedy. Every breath, every word. Thank you to the @iemmys for this incredible honour. pic.twitter.com/Jb1744aZiy
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) November 21, 2023
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However, Vir Das’s journey to this massive accolade wasn’t all full of glory, with the comedian even being accused of sedition for his viral Two Indias video in 2021.
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Das's Emmy-winning Netflix show, "Landing," delves into dissecting the events and exploring his response as both an artist and a citizen labeled a “traitor.”
Top moments from Vir Das: Landing
1. He shows his satirical change through a pre-show ritual, sprinkling "Desh ki mitti" from a ziplock bag at every performance.
2.In his Emmy-winning Netflix special, Das delivers a memorable punchline: “I'm too Indian for the West and too Western for India.” Here, he vividly portrays his Indian identity through humorous examples, skillfully addressing Indian stereotypes.
3. Vir Das’s take on Indian stigma around the topic of “sexuality” in the “Dreams of Sorbet” segment is probably the closest he comes to hitting the rock of controversy back home.
4. However, the comedian again skillfully played out the entire segment as a conversation with his mother and gay friend “Shashank.”
5. His show also carried his mandatory England-diss joke in the "Only Queen" segment. Das never misses an opportunity for an England joke, even though he performs multiple times all around England.