Comedian Vir Das has courted controversy over a monologue he gave as part of his performance in the US, with many on social media calling him “insulting India”.
Vir Das, who is currently in the US, on Monday uploaded a video on YouTube titled “I come from India”. The monologue in the video was part of his recent performance at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
In the six-minute video, Vir Das talks about some of the most current issues in India, from the fight against COVID-19, rape cases, action against comedians to farmers’ protests.
Soon, the clip of the video went viral on social media, especially the part where he said, “I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gang-rape them at night.”
While some criticized Vir Das for normalizing such incidents in India, others praised him for his ‘brave’ stand.
You come from an India, @virdasWhere you live by insulting your own nation!!
You come from an India that allows your sordid, outrageous nonsense to be treated as a freedom of expression!!
You come from an India that has endured your slander for a long time!!#Shame pic.twitter.com/YGRfDqQknj
– Preeti Gandhi – ??????? , (@Mrs.Gandhi) November 16, 2021
is this a comedy?? Vir Das at Kennedy Center USA: “I come from an India where we worship women in the morning and g@ng?@ at night?? They might be doing it but they should normalize and label India like this What is the right to #virdas pic.twitter.com/RwRIaGVe0I
— rosie (@rose_k01) November 16, 2021
must listen @thevirdas Two on India that he comes.
Sadly, we have reached a point where it is an act of courage to say it as it is.https://t.co/glMx1pFMd2— Yogendra Yadav (@_YogendraYadav) November 16, 2021
Vir Das issued clarification
Following criticism over his video, Vir Das issued a statement via his Twitter handle, saying that his intention was to remind that the country, despite its issues, was “great”.
“The video is a satire about the duality of two different Indias doing different things. Like within any nation there is light and darkness, good and evil. None of this is a secret. The video gives us this Appeals to never forget that we are great.Never stop focusing on what makes us great.
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) November 16, 2021
“It culminates in a huge patriotic round of applause for a country we all love, believe in and are proud of. There is more to our country than headlines, a deeper beauty. That’s the point of the video. And the reason for this is applause,” his statement read.
Vir Das asked his followers to “be fooled by the edited snippets”. “People cheer for India with hope, not hatred. People clap for India out of respect, not malice. You can’t sell tickets, earn applause, or represent great people with negativity I can, only with pride. I am proud of my country, and I can take that pride to the world,” he said.
“For me, a room full of people anywhere in the world, giving India a cheer is pure love. I ask you, the same thing I asked those audiences… to focus on the light, to remember and spread our greatness.” For. love,” he said.