Vir Das says he ‘got called traitor, terrorist’ as he sums up 2021, touches upon Two Indias controversy

Earlier this year, actor and comedian Vir Das’ video, I Come From Two Indias, was at the epicentre of a controversy. In a note on the last day of the year, Vir bid farewell to 2021 and acknowledged that the year gave him two court cases, an Emmy nomination, half a million followers and much more.

On Thursday, Vir posted a lengthy note on Twitter. He wrote, “This feels strange to write, one of many ‘end of year’ emotional reviews, but 20 f***ng 21 calls for this post. It’s been a ba****dly pendulum of a year. Lost my son Watson at the start of it, and was adopted by two stray dogs Stupid and Lucy. Went from performing for 30 people in a forest, to the Kennedy Centre. Filmed a Judd Apatow comedy in a deserted London, and filmed my toughest ever series in a crowded Goa. Got called a traitor, terrorist, and an Emmy nominee.” 

He added: “Started out really only focussing on twitter, then concentrated on YouTube and Insta, wound up in trouble on twitter for YouTube and Insta. Started out the year worrying if I would ever see the world again, ended the year worrying about whether I would ever be able to come back home. Both worked out. Started out the year with a home in Mumbai, and now have a home in Goa. Made fun of the news, wound up on the news. Got fat on tour, skinny for acting, dark circles for directing, eyes alive while composing.”

In November, Vir posted a video titled ‘I come from two Indias’. The monologue was a part of his performance at the John F Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. In the six-minute video, Vir talked about the contrasting faces of the country, touching  upon issues such as the battle against Covid-19, rape, crackdown against comedians to the farmers’ protests.

Clips from his performance, specifically the part where he said, “I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gang-rape them during the night” was singled out and made to go viral on social media, placing him at the receiving end of brutal trolling. 

Read More: Vir Das talks about his Two Indias monologue, ‘I am here to do my job. I won’t stop’

After the criticism, Vir issued a statement on his Twitter handle. An excerpt from his statement read: “It ends in a gigantic patriotic round of applause for a country we all love, believe in and are proud of. That there is more to our country than the headlines, a deep beauty. That’s the point of the video and the reason for the applause.”