Vir Das is India’s highest-selling English speaking standup comedian, selling out shows in India, the U.S., and the U.K. He recently made his way to Australia for a series of shows in Sydney and Melbourne, where he performed to full house crowds.
His shows in Melbourne were held at The Comic’s Lounge, in North Melbourne, where Das commanded a presence on stage, keeping the crowd constantly engaged and in fits of laughter. Raised in Nigeria and in India, he drew on his experiences growing up as well as lots of anecdotes about life in the subcontinent. He spoke of the oddities of Indian politics, Bollywood cinema, and religion. Nothing was off limits, as Das repeatedly warned the audience to loosen up or risk being offended.
His humour was quick and witty, and he had the audience in hysterics for much of the show. Many members of the audience were fans from his days on the Indian comic circuit, or even from his roles in Bollywood movies. But Das has also gained a new audience following the success of his Netflix show, Abroad Understanding, and his appearance on Conan.
Similar to Russell Peters, Das uses his Indian heritage to his advantages and is not afraid to laugh at himself or his country. This automatically endears him to his audience, both young and old.
Given the success of his first tour of Australia, I am sure he will be back again. In the meantime, Vir Das is a must-see on Netflix to get a dose of that cultural humour that he and other Indian comics provide.
– Moni
Moni is of Indian heritage, was born in England and has grown up in Australia. As a result, she appreciates all things fusion.
Visit www.virdas.in to find out about all things Vir Das.
