“My voice wasn’t just sore, it was just gone…broken, silent,” –that’s what I picked up, gazed down and noted the title again, “Fool Volume.” Rewinding back to my college corridors, I remember I was discussing Midsummer’s Puck and Bottom—and this retired professor told me, “Becoming a fool shall always remain my biggest pursuit.” In the context of what Shakespearean fools have always projected, the notion has been so far.
Vir Das eventually embodies it in the show. The punchlines hit you. Pushing you to think, reflect and revive. The show becomes your muse, and you see the warrior taking shelter under the mask of high-end, heavyweight wit of Vir Das. Absolutely appreciate how Vir Das decided to merge his personal moments in between the laughter chronicle. You see the struggles, you see his generosity, and you see how humbly he asserts, “Universe can sense arrogance,” and it’s right when he loses his voice completely before his show.
Intersecting that with concepts of ‘evil eye,’ –you know just this other day I shared a photo on social media, and my uncle comments, ‘nojor na lege jaye.’ –why to bring this anecdote; well just to realise and relearn how to pick up ‘relevance’ and ‘relatability’ in Vir’s ‘too good in English’ comic narrative—and not choke on the ‘post-colonial resentment.’
Yes, yes, ‘the world is changed’ and now apparently ‘life’s vertical.’ This August 2nd marks my mum’s second death anniversary. She was a cancer winner, a term I only stumbled upon today. And thank God I never told her life was vertical. Knowing her, she’d have scoffed and said, “Cute. But don’t go turning grief into geometry.” Then rolled her eyes and told me to stop watching TED Talks in 4K and watch Vir Das, instead.
And watching the show, my ‘grief’ definitely met ‘Glastonbury,’ well, in my mind.
That being said, grief doesn’t care about your identity. Your personality holds it. The younger generation is obsessing over their identities, and ‘Fool Volume’ just tells you, ‘Better a witty fool than a foolish wit,’ so let’s focus on what we have that enhances our character/personality, maybe? –and say no to ‘tickles.’
A must-watch on Netflix.
