New Delhi: He has been overloaded with scripts ever since his role in `Delhi Belly` received rave reviews, but stand-up comedian and actor Vir Das doesn`t want to risk being stereotyped and feels he has to be smart to pick his roles.
"I don`t see myself doing only comedy roles. Yes, what I am mostly offered is very much comical, but there are different comedy roles and that is what I am aiming at. I have to be smart to see what I choose," Vir told reporters in an interview.
"I have two careers and hence the luxury of choosing what I want to do, I can afford to take a call," he added.
The 32-year-old, who is a trained method actor from Harvard University, candidly admits he always wanted to be an actor, but the idea came to his mind after he watched `Rang De Basanti` and realised that Bollywood was his true calling.
"I always wanted to be an actor. But then, I was more into stand-up comedian act and never took it seriously, till I watched `Rang De Basanti`.
"I came back home and told myself - `What an idiot I am... I need to be doing films`. So that is how the fire in my belly started and slowly things fell in place," he added.
Vir made his Bollywood debut in `Mumbai Salsa` in 2007 and since then, has done cameos in several movies like `Namaste London` and `Love Aaj Kal`. He bagged his first major role in `Badmaash Company`, before his full potential as an actor was explored effortlessly in Abhinay Deo`s `Delhi Belly`.
"Being a trained actor, I don`t have any trouble in crying. I can cry naturally, and it has also taught me certain body range. But the real actor in me was recognised by Abhinay," he said.
"So, my character Arup in the movie wasn`t a funny guy. He had anger in him which was to be shown through facial expressions, which had to be controlled. So this was not a regular comic role," he added.
Vir has been doing stand-up comedy shows since 2003 and with lady luck smiling on him, the actor is clear about balancing his two professional lives.
"People know me because of my stand-up comedian act and I will never neglect that part of my life. That is how I got appreciation and was recognised. I got `Badmash Company` because of that only. Yes, but it`s getting really tough to juggle between the two, but I can`t ignore what has brought me here," he said.
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.