Vir Das’ delayed flight into Bloomington-Normal touched down about 10 minutes before he was scheduled to take the Brown Ballroom stage Tuesday night at Illinois State’s Indian Cultural Dinner. The acclaimed performer somehow still arrived on time—or as close to on time as anyone might expect given the circumstances—and brought with him his unique, timely brand of comedy.
In a Q&A interview moderated by Illinois State University Executive Director of International Engagement Roopa Rawjee, Das covered topics ranging from serious to funny—some both.
“I’ve always been interested in making people laugh,” Das told an audience of about 400 guests who were served an authentic Indian dinner before his performance. “From the time I was 5 years old, if you put me on a stage, I just felt entirely at home.”
Das detailed his journey, which has taken him all over the world. He performed in 29 countries last year and is currently performing the American leg of his Greenlight Tour.
Born in India, Das spent formative years attending public schools in Lagos, Nigeria. At about 9 years old, he returned to India to attend a boarding school. He was later enrolled in a public school in New Delhi. A generous financial aid package brought him to the unknown locale of Galesburg—about a 90-minute drive from Bloomington-Normal—where he attended Knox College. Das double-majored in drama and economics at the liberal arts school before returning to his home country.
“The fantasy story was that I decided I was going to be in Bollywood and become an entertainer. The truth is my visa expired,” he deadpanned, the crowd erupting in laughter at the punchline.
Das’ career in comedy began at Knox College, where he wrote Brown Men Can’t Hump—a play on the 1992 movie title White Men Can’t Jump—as part of his thesis. Since then, he’s produced four Netflix comedy specials, including Landing, which debuted in 2022. Das is additionally known for his acting in both the Indian and American film industries; he’s appeared on American TV in Whiskey Cavalier (2019) and in American movies, such as Judd Apatow’s The Bubble (2022). Das also serves as vocalist for the comedy-rock band Alien Chutney.
But Das is perhaps best known for a six-minute monologue delivered at the end of a 2021 performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Returning to the stage for an encore, Das recited a poem he had just written that morning titled I Come From Two Indias. The performance noted the duality of a country where values and actions are not always aligned; its ingredients were equal parts pride and criticism.
The performance went viral—it’s been viewed over 6 million times on YouTube—and received mixed reactions. He was lauded by some for his honest and brave commentary. He was criticized by others who called him a terrorist and sought legal action against him.
Das said Tuesday he learned from the experience. He recognizes the struggle between societal acceptance of the “unabashed recklessness of comedy”—and the comedy world’s recognition of societal sensitivity.
“You take your beatings, you take your applause, and you learn from both,” he said.
Das covered ground on other serious topics, including cultural appropriation and representation. But there were lighter topics, too: the abundance of corn in Illinois, his love of Cinnabon, the “cool ass” headband he wore Tuesday, and his seemingly extensive knowledge of a strip club in Peoria.
Das’ performance closed with a question of his advice for young people struggling to find their place in the world and connect with their culture. His answer harkened back to the duality theme of his Two Indias poem.
“I genuinely believe that this new generation of kids in college will save the world. But I do feel bad because they live their lives in two layers,” he said. “There is this performative life that they put out and the real life they live, and the more they have to perform their lives for the dopamine and tablets, the less they embrace their own imperfections.
“So, your flaws or your anxieties or your fears start to seem larger, more powerful, and things you have to fight more because you’re putting (on this performative) life that you want people to buy into. And at the same time, you hold people to a level of perfection that nobody is ever winning.
“So, you find yourself by embracing your own imperfections and being kind to the world by allowing people theirs.”
Cultural dinners offer the Illinois State community exposure to the rich cultural diversity of our society through the presentation of a keynote speaker, and a meal and entertainment specific to the cultural celebration. The events take place once or twice a semester and are open to the Illinois State and greater Bloomington-Normal communities. The dinner was sponsored by University Housing Services, Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality, the Association of Residence Halls, the Office of International Engagement, and the Indian Student Association.
Illinois State previously hosted a Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Dinner and a Latino and Disability Awareness Cultural Dinner this academic year.
