Actor-comedian loses funny bone to experiment with a grey character in Milap Zaveri's upcoming short film
Vir Das
Vir Das
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Actor-comedian Vir Das took a hiatus from his rib-tickling characters to essay the role of Davinder Singh, the head of a Sikh family trapped in riot-affected parts of Delhi, in 31st October. Given his latest outing in Milap Zaveri's upcoming short film, Raakh, the actor appears to be in no mood to return to his comic roles any time soon.
Das' character, a psychotic husband looking to avenge the death of his wife, is a far cry from the positive turns that he has explored in the past. "That's precisely why [I chose to play the part]. It is an unpredictable terrain and I am certain that I will scare the sh*t out of people," he says, adding that when Milap and he were working on the director's adult-comedy Mastizaade, which released earlier this year, they never imagined that their next collaboration will be set in a parallel universe.
"I had to explore the dark side of my psyche and a chatter box like me was silent for most part of the shoot. Milap is such a strong writer that he managed to give a gritty thriller emotional depth. I am sure the next step for me will be an out-and-out negative role," says Das, who is currently hosting a stand-up comedy show in London.
Prod him on whether his different avatars are an effort to change his 'Mr Funnyguy' image, and he says, "Different is an overused term but that's what I am trying to do. No matter where I go in Bollywood, comedy happens. My office will be full of young comics. We will be brainstorming with similar enthusiasm, and mentoring kids. But when it comes to acting, I am certain I want to show a side of me that isn't expected."
Das, who has come a long way since his first outing in 2007's Namaste London, says that once you become an actor, the industry compels you to take the art seriously. "If you don't do a certain role there will be fifty others willing to play your part. Lackadaisical is not even an option. You have to be driven."
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