Vir Das wins at Emmy Awards 2023
New Delhi: In a significant achievement, Indian stand-up comedian Vir Das won in the Unique Comedy Special category at the Emmy Awards 2023. The 44-year-old actor, best known for his Netflix special “Vir Das: Landing”, shared the prestigious award with ‘Derry Girls – Season 3’ at the prestigious ceremony held in New York City.
“Vir Das: The Landing” sets out to explore the interrelationship between Indian and American cultures, cleverly dissected through the lens of politics. Streaming on Netflix, the comedy special showcased Vir Das’s ability to navigate the complexities of these cultural fusions with humor and wit.
Expressing his gratitude on Twitter, Vir Das shared a photo with the Emmy Award and wrote, “For India, for Indian comedy. Every breath, every word. Thank you Emmys for this incredible honor.” This win not only cements Das’s place in the global comedy landscape, but also marks an important moment for Indian comedy talent on the international stage.
Meanwhile, two Indian series from OTT platforms received nominations at the International Emmy Awards 2023. Actress Shefali Shah’s “Delhi Crime Season 2” and Vir Das’s “Vir Das: Landing” both won recognition, although Shah did not receive an award. The Best Actor category went to Mexican actor Carla Souza, beating out Shah and other nominees for her role in the series “La Caida.”
Hurt by the defeat, Shefali Shah took to her Instagram Stories to congratulate Vir Das. Emphasizing on the collective celebration of Indian talent in the global arena, he wrote, “You have made us very proud. You have won this for all of us.”
Earlier reflecting on his nomination, Vir Das expressed his belief in the need for a global comedy voice outside India. He highlighted the potential for Indian comedians to take international audiences on a journey into the nuances of cities like Mumbai and Delhi, just like their American counterparts.
This year’s Emmy Awards featured 56 nominees from more than 20 countries, underscoring the global reach of the event and the growing influence of the International Emmy Awards. Among the Indian nominees, Shefali Shah and Jim Sarbh also received recognition for “Delhi Crime Season 2” and “Rocket Boys”, respectively, although Shah lost to Carla Souza, and Jim lost to Martin Freeman for “The Responder”.
