<p>Noted standup comedian Vir Das says that the social media is ‘not real’ as it ‘feeds’ one his or her own ideas.</p>.<p>“There is nothing real about social media as the algorithms at play feed us our own ideas, functioning like a feedback system. It is, however, a great marketing tool,” he tells DH.</p>.<p>Vir is gearing up for the release of his standup special <em>Vir Das</em>: <em>Outside in </em>, slated to stream on Netflix from December 17. He says that it is a collection of real-life stories from across the globe.</p>.<p>“We shot it in a single room in Mumbai. The special explores the dreams of people during the Covid-19 lockdown,” adds the <em>Hasmukh </em>star.</p>.<p>The digital medium emerged as an alternative to theatres during the lockdown. Streaming platforms kept fans hooked with original content, redefining the tenets of the entertainment industry. <em>The Gone Game</em>, <em>Scam 1992</em>, <em>A Simple Murder</em> and<em> Pataal Lok</em> were just a few web series that received rave reviews. Vir feels that streamers have become popular as the audience wants ‘experimental content’.</p>.<p>“People want experimental content and are slowly weaning away from the star system. The rise of OTT is an evolution, not a revolution,” he says.</p>.<p>Vir, who was brought up in Nigeria, says that he is as Indian as they come as he had a desi upbringing.</p>.<p>‘We spoke Indian languages at home and watched Hindi movies. I went to an Indian language school even in Nigeria,” he adds.</p>.<p>Vir garnered a fair deal of attention with his politically-charged jokes on Netflix’s Understanding Abroad. He says that he never had second thoughts about the political undertones as he simply wants to ‘spread joy’ through his work.</p>.<p>“I make people laugh and I love my country,” adds the comedian.</p>.<p>Vir, who is expected to have a busy 2021, says that he faces ‘creative blocks’ on a weekly basis as it is a part and parcel of his job.</p>.<p>“If you are not experiencing blocks then you are not challenging yourself enough,” he adds.</p>
<p>Noted standup comedian Vir Das says that the social media is ‘not real’ as it ‘feeds’ one his or her own ideas.</p>.<p>“There is nothing real about social media as the algorithms at play feed us our own ideas, functioning like a feedback system. It is, however, a great marketing tool,” he tells DH.</p>.<p>Vir is gearing up for the release of his standup special <em>Vir Das</em>: <em>Outside in </em>, slated to stream on Netflix from December 17. He says that it is a collection of real-life stories from across the globe.</p>.<p>“We shot it in a single room in Mumbai. The special explores the dreams of people during the Covid-19 lockdown,” adds the <em>Hasmukh </em>star.</p>.<p>The digital medium emerged as an alternative to theatres during the lockdown. Streaming platforms kept fans hooked with original content, redefining the tenets of the entertainment industry. <em>The Gone Game</em>, <em>Scam 1992</em>, <em>A Simple Murder</em> and<em> Pataal Lok</em> were just a few web series that received rave reviews. Vir feels that streamers have become popular as the audience wants ‘experimental content’.</p>.<p>“People want experimental content and are slowly weaning away from the star system. The rise of OTT is an evolution, not a revolution,” he says.</p>.<p>Vir, who was brought up in Nigeria, says that he is as Indian as they come as he had a desi upbringing.</p>.<p>‘We spoke Indian languages at home and watched Hindi movies. I went to an Indian language school even in Nigeria,” he adds.</p>.<p>Vir garnered a fair deal of attention with his politically-charged jokes on Netflix’s Understanding Abroad. He says that he never had second thoughts about the political undertones as he simply wants to ‘spread joy’ through his work.</p>.<p>“I make people laugh and I love my country,” adds the comedian.</p>.<p>Vir, who is expected to have a busy 2021, says that he faces ‘creative blocks’ on a weekly basis as it is a part and parcel of his job.</p>.<p>“If you are not experiencing blocks then you are not challenging yourself enough,” he adds.</p>