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Vir Das had an interesting conversation with Mayank Shekhar of Mid-Day where he spoke about many aspects, including his Bollywood career. At one point, he opened up on what made him take an inconsequential role in the Saif Ali Khan-Deepika Padukone starrer Love Aaj Kal (2009).

Vir Das said, “I really needed cash as I was very cash-strapped. That’s when I was offered Love Aaj Kal. I was informed that I was required for just one scene and would be relegated to the background in other scenes. I said, ‘I’ll take it. I need money right now’. Director Imtiaz Ali, who’s a very nice guy and who had seen my stand-up act before, to his credit, warned me, ‘Vir, I am telling you. This is not much (of a role). This is just 1 or 2 scenes on paper and then you’ll be around’.”

Explaining what his role was in the movie, Vir revealed, “If you watch, I have one scene in the movie and in the song ‘Can We Twist’, there’s a dude dancing on this side of Saif and there’s a dude dancing on that side of Saif. One is me and the other is Kavi Shastri, who’s now my co-director. We met on the sets of Love Aaj Kal.”

When asked how much he was paid for it, Vir replied, “I was the most expensive background extra in history (laughs). I got put up in London and I got paid Rs. 8 lakhs, man!”

He continued, “One of the two girls in Illuminati Productions was like, ‘We should have Vir in the movie’. So, somebody batted for me, after which Imtiaz was nice. Meanwhile, I had given auditions for Delhi Belly (2011) and Badmaash Company (2010) before I left to shoot for Love Aaj Kal in London. I was in London and was wondering, ‘What am I doing here? I am like the bouquet in the background’ (laughs)! Then my agent called me at 3 am and told me that I had bagged Delhi Belly. He told me, ‘I am going to get you a great deal’. I replied, ‘Do not negotiate. Whatever they offer, just take it’. I came straight out of Love Aaj Kal and shot for Delhi Belly after two months.”

Also Read: SHOCKING: Vir Das on how life changed after ‘Two Indias’ controversy: “My phone was off for four months. There was no work…I booked a flight to London and had no memory of it. I YELLED in the plane…”