People aware; not educated about stand-up comedy: Vir

Actor- comedian-singer Vir Das feels people are aware but not educated enough about stand-up comedy as a profession.

"In India, stand-up comedy hasn't been officialised – what would be the breakthrough pattern or the writing pattern of the craft? I think people are exposed, but not educated about stand-up comedy," Vir said in an interview.

Filmmaker Subhash Ghai's film institute Whistling Woods International is all set to start a programme in stand-up comedy. Vir spoke to the media while attending a discussion on it here.

Calling the institute's move as a 'first step' to educating people, Vir said, "I hope one day there will a whole class for stand-up comedy. That will be fantastic."

Vir, who bagged his own Netflix original comedy special, thinks writing is the most difficult part of this profession. "To create good content is difficult. Audience always supports it because they come to have a good laugh. But the toughest part is to write down the first line of the script."

Vir started his career on TV when he hosted two TV shows on Zoom Channel. The first one was 'Is Route Ki Sabhin Linein Maast Hain' where he was an agony uncle. The second was his own stand-up comedy late night show 'Ek Rahin Vir'.

"Whenever I write, my wife is the first critic. She hears it before anybody else hears it. Then I perform for an audience who doesn't pay to see it," he said, adding that one has to trust one's instinct to nail it right in stand-up comedy.

As an actor, Vir will next be seen in Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi, which promises a bittersweet cultural clash and family madness. Directed by Sanjay Chhel, the film also stars Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal and Payal Ghosh.