Speaking out on the nationwide controversy that erupted after he performed a monologue titled 'Two Indias' in the United States, comedian Vir Das says he will continue writing "love letters" to his country. The Go Goa Gone actor's almost seven-minute-long speech at the Kennedy Centre, which was published a week ago on YouTube, sparked massive backlash from certain quarters, including political leaders, claiming he insulted India before an international audience.
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"I have made my country laugh for 10 years now. I have devoted my life to writing about my country," Das told NDTVin New York. "As long as I am able to do my comedy I want to keep writing love letters to my country."
Das' bit touched upon several national issues, including women's safety, rapes, farmers' protests, cricket, petrol prices, among others. Lines like, "I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gang-rape them during the night" and "I come from an India where we bleed blue every time we play green. But every time we lose to green, we turn orange all of a sudden" were at the eye of the storm after the video went viral. Read highlights from the monologue.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Aditya Jha reportedly filed a complaint in New Delhi against Das on grounds that he made "defamatory" statements against India. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra declared that until Das apologises, he would not be allowed to come to the state for any shows.
On social media, the video left netizens divided, with prominent personalities weighing in on the debate of whether Das' performance amounted to "insulting" the country or not. More here.
What Vir Das Said On The 'Two Indias' Controversy
In a statement released November 16 soon after his 'Two Indias' video set off a wave of outrage, Das said that any nation having "light and dark" within it was not a secret and that the pride he felt for India, he carried "across the world." He appealed to the audience not to be "fooled by edited snippets."
Further in his chat with NDTV, Das said he received love from millions of people for his show. "I think laughter is a celebration and when laughter and applause fill up a room... that's a moment of pride," he said.
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