Q&A: VIR DAS

Vir Das, comedian, on growing up, Trump jokes, and hitting “peak selfie”

Tell us about your new special, Losing It.

The first special was introductory. The second is like a second date. The conversation is hopefully a little deeper. We try and have some fun and fool around a little bit. Thematically, the show is about waking up in your 30s and realising that you possibly don’t believe 80 per cent of the s*** that you used to. It’s about re-examining your relationship with money, education, religion, childhood, patriotism and masculinity.

Do you touch on politics?

There are references here and there. I think every second comedian in the world is doing the Modi joke or Trump joke or Brexit one. Unless you have a fresh take on things, you shouldn’t really be talking about it. There is nothing worse than a bad Trump joke because Trump himself is bad Trump joke.

The #MeToo movement in India started after a comedy writer’s inappropriate behaviour was exposed on Twitter. Your comments on it.

It was long overdue. I am glad it happened. It’s extremely healthy for any artist, male or female, to have the fear of god put into them, where they have to be professional at all times. I want it to happen in music, television and films too.

Lately, you have been more brazen with your views on current affairs on Twitter.

If you are not going to say anything at least of occasional depth, then what’s the point of having these social media followers? How many selfies can I really post? The only people who are progressing are the people who think up and down and not left or right.