Vir Das says his new show is ‘an ode to strangers’. read why
Comedian Vir Das talks about his journey as an immigrant to America, AI and the need for imperfection in art, as he prepares for his Hey Stranger US Tour.
Acclaimed Indian stand-up comedian and actor Vir Das is set to embark on his much-awaited 21-city US tour. Hey stranger!Which opens on February 27 at the historic Chicago Theatre. In an exclusive interview, Das shares insights about his new show, which promises a departure from traditional stand-up by providing an intensely personal, thematic storytelling experience focused entirely on the audience.
Reflecting on his career, Das mentioned the inspiration behind the tour’s title: “I looked back at life and said, ‘Oh my God, I’ve spent 85 percent of my life in rooms with people I don’t know.’ It’s a very strange life … but I think you can have a powerful connection with people,” he said.
He described the show as “an ode to the stranger”, reflecting on his 15 years of world touring. However, the core of Hey Stranger is distinctly audience-centric. Rather than make the show entirely about his own life, Das wrote the set as a tribute to the immigrant experience.
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“It’s about your immigrant journey, what it feels like to live in a new land, what it feels like to leave your land behind… and what it feels like to hold fast to your culture,” Das said.
Their goal is to make the audience feel as if their own stories are being told.
Embracing imperfection in the age of AI
Amid the ongoing global conversation about the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and creativity, Das offered a philosophical and reassuring outlook on the existence of artists.
Das commented, “I feel largely safe as an artist because AI is about success, AI is about perfection, and art is about failure and art is about imperfection.”
He joked that his job would never be in danger because AI never “got rejection from 200 girls and never lost in school.”
Although he does not fear AI replacing comedians, he acknowledges its usefulness while advising not to reject technological progress. He said that while Bollywood has not yet adopted AI on a large scale for core production – especially in indie genre filmmaking – it promises to lower the barriers to pre-visualization and entry for young, independent filmmakers by providing accessible tools for scoring and animation.
Looking back at America and cult classics
Slaves who first moved to the United States A few years after 9/11, it also reflected how America’s cultural landscape has changed over the past two decades. He observed that the “innocent ignorance” he encountered years ago has largely disappeared today and is taking “some very distinct turns in other directions”.
On a lighter note, Das addressed fans’ persistent demand for a sequel to his cult-classic zombie comedy film, Go Goa Gone. Acknowledging the rumors that spread every year, Das joked that a sequel needs to be made soon before the original cast ages out. He laughed, saying, “Everyone who loved Go Goa Gone as a college kid is now 35… If it happens, it needs to happen very soon, because otherwise, I think our kids will be showing up in the sequel.”
As Das prepares to hit the road in 21 US cities, Hey Stranger appears set to blend his signature wit with deep reflection on global identity, technology and the shared human experience.
