(Photo : Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)
Bollywood actor Vir Das arrives for a rehearsal on stage at the Mid Florida Credit Union Amphitheater ahead of the IIFA Magic of the Movies on the third day of the 15th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards in Tampa, Florida, April 25, 2014.
Indian comedian Vir Das released a statement explaining what his monologue, "I Come From Two Indias" is really about.
Last week, Das read his six-minute speech at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The clip was shared on YouTube earlier this week, and it received different reactions from the public.
Vir Das released a statement post-backlash
Following the backlash that he received, Das took his thoughts to Twitter and said that he's proud of his Indian heritage. He also called his monologue a satire that shows the duality of the country.
— Vir Das (@thevirdas) November 16, 2021
Das said that India, just like all the other countries in the world, has two sides: light and dark, good and evil, which is not a secret.
In his monologue, Das said he comes from an India where women are worshipped in the morning but abused at night. And a country that takes pride in being vegetarians and yet some people run over the farmers that grow their vegetables.
Last month, eight people died after they run over during a protest against controversial farm laws.
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Critics called him a terrorist, supporters rallied behind him
Following his monologue, some people accused Das of defaming India in the United States. And others also said that the comedian should be arrested.
Indian filmmaker Ashoke Pandit went as far as calling Das a terrorist and said that the comedian should be tried under the country's terror laws.
However, there was also a slew of people that showed Das their support.
Shashi Tharoor, a member of the Congress Party, said that Das just put into words what millions of Indians cannot say out loud.
Kapil Sabil, another Congress lawmaker, agreed with Das' point of view about having two Indias.
"None can doubt that there are two India's [sic]. Just that we don't want an Indian to tell the world about it. We are intolerant and hypocritical," Sabil said via CNN.
Munawar Faruqui imprisoned for one month
According to the BBC, Das is not the only Indian comedian that faced backlash following statements that he made.
Munawar Faruqui was previously accused of making indecent remarks about Hindu gods. He was imprisoned for a month, and several of his live performances were canceled following the incident.
Reports revealed that Indians are divided when it comes to freedom of speech in the country. Some of them believe that authorities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi are going after those that are disrespecting the BJP party.
As of late, it's still unclear if Das will be sanctioned for his comments. But in his statement, he encouraged those that saw his performance to see the light and spread the love.
Twitter divided over Vir Das' monologue
On Twitter, Das' fans and critics were also divided when it came to their reactions to his monologue.
One of them accused the comedian of perpetuating the outdated snake charmer image of India. Another individual said that Das seemingly generalized the wrongdoings of a few people as the mistakes of an entire nation.
Das' supporter accused Indians of being ignorant and of getting riled up when the truth is spoken about them, according to the Times of India.
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