Vir Das: Writing in Hindi is a different ball game

Vir Das talks about scripting his first regional language comedy, Hasmukh

Even though he took to social media to announce the venture in May, Vir Das hadn't revealed until now that he has also co-written the script of Hasmukh, the dark thriller with a pinch of humour. This feat marks Das's first attempt at writing comedy in the Hindi language, given that the actor-comedian has helmed English-based acts until now.

Talking about the Nikkhil Advani-directed venture, Das says, "I am familiar with the [Hindi] language, and have consumed a great amount of content [in it]. But, to write in it is a different ball game altogether. I have not been averse to it, but have never had the opportunity to write comedy, especially stand-up, in Hindi."

Aware that comedy banks heavily on punch-lines, which can often be language-specific, Das says, "Some jokes have a better impact when used in certain languages. As comedians and writers, we have to adapt to that. Writing comedy needs a deep understanding of the pulse of the markets [that use it]. Since India is a culturally diverse country, everyone has a different sensibility." Das also points out that the use of the Hindi language has increasingly made its way into Indian comedy shows.

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