Vir Das says even a great actor like Ranbir Kapoor cannot recreate Raju Srivastav’s comedic brilliance on screen: ‘Actors struggle to be themselves’

Vir Das highlighted what he believes is the primary difference between an actor and a stand-up comic, using Ranbir Kapoor and Raju Srivastav to explain his point.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | May 22, 2024 02:06 PM IST

3 min read

Raju Srivastav died in 2022.

Comedian Vir Das highlighted the essential difference between an actor and a stand-up comic, and said that the best actors in the world cannot recreate a genius bit of comedy because it is intrinsically tied to the personality of the performer. He cited the example of the late comedian Raju Srivastav, and a bit that he used to do about going for a meal at a five-star hotel. Appearing on The Streaming Show podcast, Vir said that even a great actor like Ranbir Kapoor cannot replicate the bit because what made it resonate with audiences was the fact that Raju Srivastav was face and voice behind it.

He said, “Raju Srivastav’s greatest bit is this five-star hotel mein lunch bit. Please find it and watch it on YouTube. The waiter is judging Raju Srivastav, and he’s judging the waiter for being in a five-star restaurant. If you transcribe that whole bit, and you gave it to the best actor in the world, you give it to Ranbir Kapoor, they wouldn’t be able to do it. What makes that bit work is being Raju Srivastav. It’s not even the writing that can help you.”

Also read – Aditi Rao Hydari says working with Ranbir Kapoor in Rockstar was ‘mad’: ‘He can convince you of anything’

Vir was responding to the host’s complaints about actors attempting to play comic’s on screen, usually to unimpressive results. Explaining the primary difference between actors and comedians, he continued, “An actor is a person who doesn’t know how to be themselves, and a comedian is someone who is completely themselves. That is the essential difference between the two of us. Many actors find it hard to be themselves in life, or in an interview. Stand-up comedians fail unless we are ourselves. Our big struggle is to spend 20 years trying to be who I am (in real life) on stage. That’s the big struggle. But actors have to get beyond baba ka juice and wheatgrass smoothie and all that… For an actor to have a sense of self is very hard.”

Vir is coming off the most successful stand-up special of his career, Vir Das: Landing, which won an International Emmy. Coincidentally, Ranbir is coming off the most successful film of his career, the controversial Animal.

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