Vir Das recently had an eye-opening chat with Mayank Shekhar, sharing insights about his journey in Bollywood. He reflected on his decision to take a minor role in the 2009 film Love Aaj Kal, starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone.
Vir explained that he was in urgent need of money at that time. “I got the offer for Love Aaj Kal and was told I’d be in just one scene, with a more background presence elsewhere. I thought, ‘I’ll take it. I need cash urgently,’” he shared. Director Imtiaz Ali, who had previously seen Vir’s stand-up comedy, kindly warned him that the role was quite small. “He said, ‘This is really just a couple of scenes with you in the background,’” Vir recalled.
Talking about his part in the film, he mentioned, “I’m featured in one scene, and during the song ‘Can We Twist,’ I dance on one side of Saif while my fellow actor Kavi Shastri dances on the other.”
When asked about his payment for this background role, he humorously claimed, “I was the most expensive background extra ever! I got paid Rs. 8 lakhs for it!”
He continued, explaining how he ended up in the film. “Someone from Illuminati Productions argued for me to be included. Before shooting Love Aaj Kal in London, I had auditioned for Delhi Belly and Badmaash Company. While on set, I found myself wondering, ‘What am I doing here? I’m just in the background!’” However, his fortunes turned when he received a call in the middle of the night. “My agent called at 3 am to tell me I got the role in Delhi Belly,” he said, adding, “I told him, ‘Just accept whatever they offer!’”
After finishing up with Love Aaj Kal, he quickly shifted gears to work on Delhi Belly, marking a significant moment in his career.
