The Aryavarth Express:
Mumbai (Maharashtra): Comedian and actor Vir Das recently shared why Indian film award ceremonies rarely feature roast-style hosting similar to international events like the Academy Awards.
In a social media post on Instagram, Das reflected on his experience of writing scripts for Indian award shows for several years and explained how “star egos” and power dynamics within the industry make such formats challenging to execute.
Referring to comedians such as Ricky Gervais and Conan O’Brien—known for their witty and often sharp hosting styles—Das said that the idea behind having comedians host major international award shows is to allow them to lightly roast celebrities during the event.
According to Das, the purpose of such hosting is to humanise celebrated stars by poking fun at them while they are already being honoured. He explained that in such settings, jokes usually “punch up” rather than offend.
However, he noted that the situation in India is different because many stars are uncomfortable being the subject of jokes, especially when the comedian is not considered at the same level of fame or influence.
Das added that when a major star hosts an award show, it may work well for people within the industry present at the event but does not always translate into genuinely funny moments for the audience watching.
On the work front, Vir Das was last seen in the film Happy Patel, which also marked his directorial debut. The film was produced by Aamir Khan under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions and was released in theatres on January 16, 2026.
