Rumble in the Belly

With Delhi Belly,comedian-actor Vir Das reveals his unhappy and sarcastic side

Vir Das has never been so unhappy,sarcastic or angry. “Usually that’s the reaction of an individual when the most horrible things happen to him,and in Delhi Belly,I happen to be that person,” says Das. The 32-year old comedian,host and actor,will reveal a new a side to his persona — a darker,depressed shade — in his forthcoming release,Delhi Belly,on July 1. While he refuses to divulge details of this ‘kamini’ Aamir Khan production,he agrees to speak cautiously about his character,Arup,a graphic designer working with an ad agency who gets dumped by his girlfriend,harassed by his boss and to make matters worse,has to shave of his curly mop of hair. “I was shaving my head for five months at a stretch and secretly,I was worried whether I’d grow my hair back or not,” says Das,who is enjoying his time in a relatively new field — acting. “I’m a newcomer in the world of films,and Delhi Belly was something I wanted to do as soon as I found out about it,” he adds. Das says that he attended auditions for almost a year till director Abhinay Deo and producer Aamir Khan called Imran Khan,Kunal Roy Kapoor and Das together for a screen test. “I was sure that they’d pick Khan and Kapoor,but luckily,I got in too.”

It’s a role that’s diametrically opposite to Das’s personality. “I am a happy person,and in the film,I am the unhappiest.” Talk about the film’s current rage — the high voltage songs,like the rock number,Bhaag DK Bose,a stalkers ode,Switty Tera Pyaar and Das’s solo,Ja Chudail — he says the songs bring out the true character of the film. To compliment the original script,there had to be an original score,” explains Das,whose personal favourite is Ja Chudail. “Arup is a complex,dark,dry,sarcastic guy and Ja Chudail is his way of venting it.” Choreographed by Farah Khan,Das laughingly tells us how he is still nursing a fractured pelvis because of the rehearsals. And clarifies that the number is not as much a Mithun Chakraborty inspired dance as much as it’s by Elvis Presley. “It’s a crazy song,and I am dancing like Elvis on drugs,” he says.

He describes the film as a three way funny caper. “If you like DK Bose,then you’ll like the film,else you will be offended by it,” he quips,adding how the songs were a way to measure the audience response.

He admits that films like Delhi Belly help him to explore his other side. On the comedy front,he starts with a new show in October.