The Bollywood actor and comedian Vir Das made a good move by debuting the production History of India — VIRitten in Dubai and testing the waters with an Indian crowd in the city last night.
If he can make a hall packed with NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) laugh at his humorous comments on Indian history, movies and politics, his show, which was first staged in 2010, surely he can embark on an international tour?
The British actor and warm-up comedian Kavi Shastri, who is part of Das’s Weirdass Comedy Company, began with an amusing run-through of how continents came into being. His mild jokes gave way to a comedy on India’s past and present with no holds barred. As Das put it: “If I think it and I wrote it, I’m jolly well saying it.”
Das opened with a disclaimer about the show not being a factual account.
He came on as a schoolteacher who had memorised a ridiculous history book that took a year to write, beginning with a refresher course on ancient India and the Vedas. He moved on to the Mughal Dynasty, naming each emperor and adding the Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan — who played Akbar, the third ruler of the dynasty, in the movie Jodhaa Akbar (2008) — to the list. His comment about Akbar’s wives brought the house down: “He had two wives. That makes Akbar the first NRI.”
During the show, Das checked whether there were other nationalities in the audience and asked them to “feel free to google it” it they didn’t get the references. He also stopped a few times to pick on audience members who were taking pictures and videos on their smartphones.
Bengalis and their literary ambitions were a prominent part of the act, right from enacting a philosophical conversation that a Bengali would have with Vasco da Gama if the Portuguese explorer had sailed into Calcutta and not Calicut in 1498 to Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy. “Bengalis are the only people in the world who write poetry when they are angry,” Das said.
Das continued with his favourite part of Indian History — the freedom movement. “The first time Indians said ‘there is freedom, let’s move’ ”. He linked a lot of past to the present scenario, alluding to little change in the politics of India.
In the second half of the show, the comedian took a closer look at post-independence India. Talking about the kids of the 60s and 70s he managed to wrap up the over the top lifestyle- the bell-bottomed jeans, disco and the famous Maruti 800 era – with some slapstick comedy. References to Indian movies such as Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and the actors Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth and Emraan Hashmi were also thrown into the mix.
Political satire is Das’s forte. The entire routine was peppered with jabs at Indian National Congress party vice president Rahul Gandhi, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and current prime minister Manmohan Singh.
Das thought it was necessary to emphasise his patriotic fervour a few times in the show, in case it was doubted. His measured approach to satire about historic events and freedom fighters was evident, but it did not reduce the humour quotient. His jokes were much bolder when it came to current affairs.
Das said he was inspired to write the piece after watching British comedian Eddie Izzard’s intellectual humour. VIRitten is brimming with innuendo, but lacks the variety associated with brand Izzard. Nevertheless, it proved a delight for the desi soul out in the desert.
aahmed@thenational.ae
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
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SPECS
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Automatic
Power: 530bhp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh535,000
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A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
Match info
Costa Rica 0
Serbia 1
Kolarov (56')
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
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The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
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Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5