Following objections from a Hindu organization, a stand-up show by actor and comedian Vir Das in Bengaluru, which was slated for today (10th November 2022), has been cancelled. The show was scheduled to take place at Chowdiah Memorial Hall in Bengaluru’s Malleshwaram. Vir Das posted a message on Instagram informing that the show has been postponed ‘due to unavoidable circumstances.’
Vir Das wrote in his post, “Hey folks due to unavoidable circumstances we are pushing the Bangalore show. New details and dates soon. Sorry for the inconvenience.” Vir Das further stated in the post’s description that all those who purchased tickets for the performance will receive a refund of their purchase price. He wrote, “See you soon Bengaluru. Book My Show will issue refunds and you will have the option to transfer them to the new date.”
He also added ‘See you soon Bengaluru’, suggesting that the show will be rescheduled at a later date. He also said that the ticket prices will be refunded, and the patrons will have the option of transfering them to the new date.
The event was cancelled following protests by the Hindu organization Hindu Janajagruthi Samiti (HJS). The Hindu group in Bengaluru filed a complaint against Das with the police on Monday, November 7, to urge the cancellation of the performance, claiming that it would offend the religious emotions of Hindus and cast India in a negative light throughout the world.
Karnataka | Complaint filed against comedian Vir Das by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti at Vyalikaval PS, demanding the cancellation of his program in Bengaluru on November 10th, as his shows “hurt religious sentiments of Hindus & shows India in bad light to the world.” pic.twitter.com/saeBXZUaZM
— ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2022
The group had said in its complaint, “It is not right to allow such a controversial person to hold such a program in a communally sensitive area like Bangalore. When Karnataka is already facing many law-and-order problems due to communal incidents, such events could vitiate law and order and should not be allowed. We demand this program be cancelled immediately.”
The now-cancelled Bengaluru show by Vir Das was part of his all-India tour titled Wanted. Today’s event in Bengaluru was the first show of the tour, and the next shows are scheduled in Kolkata tomorrow, Chennai on 18 November, Hyderabad on 20, Mumbai on 24, Pune on 25, Ludhiana on 26 and Chandigarh on 27. Tickets for the tour are being sold through Book My Show.
Vir Das is also involved in some other cases
Vir Das was recently in news over an FIR filed by producer Ashvin Gidwani. On Tuesday (November 8), Mumbai Police informed that it has registered an FIR based on the producer’s complaint, accusing stand-up comedian Vir Das, two other persons, and online streaming platform Netflix of infringing copyright laws in their show ‘For India’.
‘Comedian’ Vir Das has been in the news many a time in the past over his controversial statements and tweets. On November 16, 2021, Vir Das shared a YouTube video in which he went on a rant against India at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
Das peddled anti-India propaganda in a 7-minute monologue disguised as comedy. He discussed politics, religion, and nationality while instilling fear that India, once built by great men, would soon become a distant memory. Vir Das’s anti-Hindu and anti-India rant had back then sparked massive outrage which compelled him to issue a clarification. Das clarified that he did not mean to insult the country and that his intention was to serve as a reminder that the country, despite its issues was “great.” Notably, Vir Das already has several cases filed against him over the controversial stand-up act.
