After two specials on Netflix, Vir Das is back with a web series, on Amazon Prime Video. In Jestination Unknown, Das spends 72 hours in different Indian cities with two friends, spinning humour out of the local culture, cuisine and daily life.
What was the thought behind Jestination Unknown?
Whenever I land in a city and drive from the airport to the hotel, I look around to find local jokes. But when you have two other comedians with you in the car, that becomes a lot more fun. Instead of skimming the surface, what if you took 72 hours to re-experience that city. And, what if you did it without a script? The idea was to [capture] three comedians going to a city with zero writing and no script, and just embracing the city with short sketches and comedy ideas on the fly.
While making the show, were there unexpected or funny moments that were a revelation?
Absolutely. The thing about most comedy shows, including my specials, is that they have jokes that have been cooked. In this, the jokes would have been written that particular morning, on the go. Everything is new material which sometimes works and sometimes does not. But I think that in comedy, failure is as interesting as success.
You did not spend a lot of time in India while growing up. Were there things you discovered while travelling around the country?
I would say it increased my awareness 800 per cent. Stand-up is a fairly small percentage in the episodes, the rest of it is just comedians experiencing the city. You might have spoken about how Punjabis like to drink, for example. But when you visit the palace of the man who invented the Patiala peg and realise he did it during a cricket match against the British, there is history to it. Then, your joke about Punjabis and drinking changes significantly.
You have previously done two Netflix originals and we hear a third one is being planned. How have streaming platforms changed the game?
There is an audience for every type of comedy—whether it is over-the-top, slapstick, travel or stand-up—just like there is an audience for every genre of entertainment. The platforms have been able to connect the creator to the right audience.
Other than your role in the American comedy-drama series Whiskey Cavalier earlier this year, we have not seen much of Vir Das, the actor. Is that deliberate?
I think it is just about taking time to find the right things and do them properly. You will see me very soon in Hasmukh, which was a long acting project. And also in two movies and two TV shows.