Comedian Vir Das made India proud on a global scale as he won the coveted International Emmy Award for Comedy for his standup special 'Vir Das: Landing'. On Wednesday, he returned to India, and while he flaunted his Emmy, he went on to express his desire to do a show with his 'idol' Johnny Lever.
On Tuesday, Vir Das was awarded the Emmy for Comedy for 'Vir Das: Landing', which aired on Netflix. The award for the category ended up in a tie with Derry Girls Season 3 sharing it with him.
As Das returned to India on Wednesday, beaming from ear to ear with his Emmy in his hand, he received a warm welcome by his fans and the media. It was then that he went on to thank everyone for the support, and hoped that while his award is the first one for Indian comedy on an international platform, it does not end up being the last.
"We are here because of the people who have come before us, like Johnny Lever. This is the first award for Indian comedy internationally but hopefully not the last," he said.
He then went on to credit Lever for his contribution to the Indian comedy scene and said, "I would love to do a show with Johnny Lever. He is my idol. He is the greatest live comedy artist to have come out of India."
He also advised his fellow comedians to immerse themselves into the art and "if you love your nation, write about it".
Vir Das became the first Indian comedian to win an Emmy and he is over the moon with joy, but promised his fans that he will continue doing what he does best -- comedy.
Post his win, he said in his statement, "This award is not just a recognition of my work but a celebration of the diverse stories and voices from India. Stories that make us laugh, reflect, and, most importantly, unite. This one is for India, for Indian comedy and for the community of artists at large."
