Indian stand-up comedian and actor Vir Das bagged the International Emmy Award 2023 for Comedy for his Netflix stand-up special “Vir Das: Landing” at the award function in New York.
This was his second nomination and first win. Das shared the award with ‘Derry Girls Season 3’ in the same category. They were nominated with France’s Le Flambeau and Argentina’s El Encargado.
“For India For Indian Comedy. Every breath, every word. Thank you to the @iemmys for this incredible honor,” he posted on X.
“Thank you for your laughter.”
“This moment is truly surreal – an incredible honor that feels like a dream. Winning an Emmy for ‘Vir Das: Landing’ in the ‘Comedy Category’ is not just a milestone for me but for Indian comedy as a whole,” Vir Das shared his happiness in a statement through Netflix.
Vir Das feels honored to be the first Indian to have a Netflix special (February 22, 2017)
“It’s heartening to see ‘Vir Das: Landing’ resonate globally, thanks to Netflix, Aakash Sharma and Reg Tigerman who made it special,” he wrote. “My journey from crafting local stories to receiving a global accolade has been both challenging and rewarding, and Netflix has been instrumental in that growth.”
“I’m excited about the continued exploration of diverse narratives, from Noida to the International Emmys – India gets you there,’’ he added.
In his fourth stand-up show which was filmed in New York, Das looks back at growing up in India and his move to America.
Indian stand-up comedian Vir Das to perform in New York City (February 7, 2017)
In 2021, the comedian’s monologue, “Two Indias,” performed at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, sparked significant controversy. During the monologue, he delved into the duality of the country, addressing topics such as the response to Covid-19, air pollution, farmers’ agitation, cricket, and incidents of rape.
Variety included him in its 2022 “Top 10 Comic To Watch” list, saying he is “filling an international vacancy for an authentic Indian perspective.”
He was the first comedian from India to have a stand-up special on Netflix, which has since resulted in a multi-special deal with the platform for them to be the exclusive distributor of his stand-up. Since then, Das has written and produced four Netflix specials in five years.
Balaji Telefilms co-founder Ektaa R. Kapoor became the first Indian to win the International Emmy Directorate Award, which celebrates excellence in television entertainment across all fields. The award was presented by New Age guru Deepak Chopra.
Vir Das to tour North America in Feb.-March with ‘Unbelievable’ stand-up (January 19, 2016)
“To the one who has become an inspiration to many! @EktaaRKapoor’s visionary thinking and innovative approach have not only shaped, but revolutionized the entertainment industry. We congratulate her as she marks a new chapter in her legacy,” Chopra wrote.
The production house, which was started by Kapoor and her parents Jeetendra Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor in 1994, is the single largest television content producer in South Asia. The trio opened the filmmaking subsidiary Balaji Motion Pictures in 2001 which produces several high-profile Bollywood titles each year.
“To date, the Balaji banner has produced over 17,000 hours of TV and 45 movies, as well as launching Alt Balaji as a streaming platform in India,” according to a Variety report.
Indian actors Shefali Shah and Jim Sarbh were nominated in acting categories for their shows ‘Delhi Crime’ and ‘Rocket Boys’ respectively, did not win.
Shefali posted a picture of Vir and wrote, “CONGRATULATIONS @virdas. You make us so proud.” Sharing Vir’s picture with his Emmy trophy, Shefali wrote, “@virdas U WON THIS FOR ALL OF US.”
Karla Souza and Martin Freeman won the awards for Best Actors.