Comedian Vir Das Accused of Defaming India in Controversial 'Two Indias' Satire

Indian comedian and actor Vir Das, 42, performed a satirical monologue on 'I Come From Two Indias', part of the recent stand-up comedy act he performed at the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC. He uploaded a video of the performance on Monday that has gone viral and is prompting emotional reactions from netizens.

A police complaint has been filed against Indian comedian Vir Das for allegedly defaming India's image in the US and inciting people with his derogatory statements against the country, Indian women, and political leaders.

Das, on Monday, uploaded a video on YouTube with his monologue 'I Come From Two Indias' from a show at John F Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC.

In a seven-minute clip that has taken the internet by storm, the comedian highlights several issues facing the country, be it India's battle against COVID-19, incidents of rape, the crackdown against comedians, or the farmers' protests.

Taking offence to several portions of the comedian's monologue, advocate Ashutosh J Dubey, a practising lawyer at the Bombay High Court and a legal advisor of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra state, filed a police complaint against Das on Tuesday night.

Dubey tweeted a copy of his complaint and accused Das of projecting the phenomenon of worshipping female deities in India as a mere gimmick where otherwise the heinous crime of rape against women is carried out.

Statements such as "I come from an India where we worship women during the day and gang-rape them during the night," triggered many netizens, who are expressing their distaste for the comedian on social media.

I have filed the complaint against Vir Das Indian Comedian with @CPMumbaiPolice @MumbaiPolice for defaming & spoiling the image of India in the USA, which is inflammatory.

He wilfully spelled inciting & derogatory statements against India, Indian women, & the PM of India. pic.twitter.com/xQuLuGwGZv

— ADV. ASHUTOSH J. DUBEY 🇮🇳 (@AdvAshutoshBJP) November 16, 2021

This is Comedy?? Vir Das at Kennedy Center USA : "I come from an India where we worship Women in the morning & G@ng г@ре them at night" He might possibly be doing that BUT What gives him right to generalise & label India like that?? #VirDas pic.twitter.com/RwRIaGVe0I

— Rosy (@rose_k01) November 16, 2021

People like @thevirdas can sell their own country 4 few Pennies & applauses.This is not the first time he is doing it.He earns his living spitting venom against his motherland. Watching his #TwoIndias monologue was like a stab to my heart💔.I used 2 admire him once 4 his comedy.

— prachi gupta (@prachiniki) November 16, 2021

Reacting to the trolls and hateful comments, Das issued a statement on Tuesday to clarify that the comments in his monologue "I come from two Indias" weren't intended to insult the country.

He said that the video is a satire about the duality of two very separate Indias that do different things.

"Like any nation has light and dark, good and evil within it. None of this is a secret."

Das also wrote that people cheer for the country with hope and not "hate" and asked his followers to not be misled by edited clips.

🙏 pic.twitter.com/1xwR4Qp5Fw

— Vir Das (@thevirdas) November 16, 2021

While some netizens have slammed the comedian for his satirical monologue, several Bollywood celebrities and politicians, as well as other netizens, have been praising him for shedding light on what life is like for hundreds of thousands of India and explaining the two different Indias that exist.

A stand-up comedian who knows the real meaning of the term "stand up" is not physical but moral -- @thevirdas spoke for millions in this 6-minute take on the Two Indias he hails from & stands up for. https://t.co/94h4SnyZhX
"This is a joke, but it's just not funny." Brilliant.

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 16, 2021

" I come from an India where we take pride for being Vegetarians and yet run over Farmers who grow our vegetables."
Vir Das Two Indias https://t.co/N4D1aPSHIP#VirDas #TwoIndias #Satire @thevirdas thanks ! pic.twitter.com/6j9FQFWs7A

— Gurshamshir Singh (@gurshamshir) November 16, 2021

I come from this india...
Where complaints are being lodged if you dare speak truth while guilty one's are sitting at higher authorities#VirDas #TwoIndias

— Gurjinder Chahal (@GurjinderChaha8) November 17, 2021

People can find it offensive that #VirDas could go on huge foreign platform and "defame" India, but won't agree it's true.#TwoIndias was pure, was absolutely true, and much needed.

Only if we first address our countries problems, will we move ahead.

We don't need hypocrisy.

— Duane🌞 (@duanefernandes_) November 17, 2021

If you're offended by Vir Das then you know which India you come from.#TwoIndias

— Undercover Monk (@gykjain) November 16, 2021

In the past, Das has faced a backlash for cracking jokes around religion, politicians, and other controversial subjects. He has appeared in nearly 100 stand-up comedy gigs as well as six comedy specials.

He also shot to fame in Bollywood for his acting in Hindi films such as 'Delhi Belly', 'Badmaash Company', and 'Go Goa Gone'.