Comedian Vir Das might just be Shah Rukh Khan’s Number One Fan. Asked by US actress/comedian Whitney Cummings on her podcast Good For You a few weeks ago, Vir named SRK as Bollywood’s uber-celebrity, prompting Whitney to Google the 56-year-old star. “He (SRK) is the biggest star in the world, pretty much, in terms of everything – fan base, reach, in terms of anything,” says Vir in a clip from the podcast that’s gone viral. He explains why – and the reason Whitney Cummings should take his word for it? He has a “brilliant” mind and she’s “intimidated” by him.
Wow but first, Shah Rukh Khan. ” Vir Das told Whitney Cummings, elaborating on how SRK has set the cinematic template for romance: “Nobody romances a woman like Shah Rukh Khan romances a woman.” Charisma is a factor but it’s mainly SRK’s personal history that makes him so magnetic, per Vir. “His story is really good. He has a ‘self-made, showed up in Mumbai with nothing but a suitcase and became king of the world’ story,” Vir said.
Vir Das’s Shah Rukh Khan fandom comes from personal experience – of being bested by SRK. “Our version of the Oscars, I used to write jokes for that and he used to host it. You’ll be up in his house just pitching jokes to the guy and he’d never listen to you. He’d go on and do his version of the joke and it would always be better. Nobody’s ever done that. I’ve always written jokes for people and then they go and do their own version and it sucks,” Vir told Whitney, “He’s just that good, he’s that smart.”
As we said, there’s a reason Whitney Cummings is and will be taking Vir Das’ word as gospel truth. It’s because his mind is a “labyrinth of brilliance.” Watch the full podcast here (warning – some cuss words):
Vir Das, who went viral recently for his “Two Indias” monologue at Kennedy enter in Washington, was in the US to attend the International Emmy Awards where his Netflix special Vir Das: For India was nominated in the Best Comedy category. The Emmy was won by French show Call My Agent!