Das the Way

Directed by Akashdeep Sabri,the film’s crew is here on a six-day shooting schedule. “It’s not a series,neither is it laced with cliched Santa-Banta jokes. It is their story spun in a cool action comedy,” says Das who plays a turbaned Punjabi man in the film. As he takes a break and sips on hot chocolate at the JW Marriott cafe,Das talks about his time in Chandigarh for his shows,and during his schooling at Lawrence School Sanawar in the ’90s. Touted as “India’s answer to Jay Leno” and “the funniest guy in India”,Das is taking all his roles seriously — as a producer of his theatre company Weirdass Repertory; as a writer; as a stand-up comic; and as an actor who has seven films releasing in a row this year. “One every two months,” he says,adding how Delhi Belly proved to be the “booster shot” for his career. “I found myself surrounded by mainstream cinema offers. I had 35 scripts to choose from,” he says.

Das was clear in his selection: the roles had to be meaty and challenging enough to keep him excited and engaged. While Santa Banta is a funny film with a heart,Go Gone Goa that releases on May 10,is said to be one of India’s first zombie films. “It is not Zombieland or Shaun of the Dead. It is about these three idiots who’ve never seen a zombie in their life,” says Das,who will be seen crooning in the film’s upcoming promo song.

Carrying on with experimentation spree,there is a love story set in Rajasthan called Supar Se Upar,another film called Amit Sahni Ki List where he plays an upmarket investment banker,a children’s film called Golu & Pappu In The House and the dark twisted love story called Revolver Rani that had him work out for a chiseled body for nine months.

Das is excited about Saket Chaudhary’s Shaadi Ke Side Effects. “I signed on this film on one condition: my credit would read ‘stupid appearance’ and I am wearing very less clothing in this one. It is by far the stupidest thing I’ve ever done on celluloid,” he says.

Das says he wants to turn himself into a brand just like Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller. “India still doesn’t have its kind of cinema,” he says,adding,“I have no interest in playing a Mexican,a waiter or terrorist in international films.” But doesn’t his cosmopolitan upbringing act as a deterrent when it comes to essaying rooted characters? “Saif Ali Khan once told me,‘find the walk to find the guy’. One has to find the pace of the body because this is where the urban personality in you gives away,” he says.

What does come naturally to him is comedy,for it stems from confusion,and he says,“Men are outwardly and stupidly confused all the time. That’s why bromance sells; there is so much crazy going on.”

Back at his repertory,his sold-out show History of India that covers India from the 100 BC to today in a lighter vein,goes on a national tour this June. Not only this,he has signed a three-book deal with Harper Collins (two comedies and one fiction),five film scripts ready of which two have studio deals,a play based on The Godfather and scripts based on Star Wars and Frankenstein. What many don’t know is that Das is a licensed dog-trainer and dreams of owning nine dogs one day. For now,it is his British Bull Dog,Dr Watson,who also accompanied him on Go Goa Gone promos.