Vir Das | The entertainer, comedian and actor is back with a new project The Most Epic Max Show. Musba Hashmi chats him up about the concept of the show, what kept him going during the lockdown and his takeaways from it

What is The Most Epic Max Show about?

My show is about the smaller simple things in life that make you feel epic inside, meaning that you don’t have to do epic things to feel epic. I think it’s been a rough year and everybody in the world deserves to feel good about themselves and celebrate the smallest things that bring them joy. I’m coming from a place of not knowing and willing to learn but also willing to fail massively and gloriously.

The show’s concept is fun. Were there any challenges that you faced while shooting? Any fun instances you'd like to share?

We shot the show during the pandemic when the lockdown had lifted. All of a sudden, the frills that one may usually be used to suddenly went away. Limited crews, people in PPE kits all around me, all trying to create something fun with all cards stacked against them. It was challenging, but I had a great team around me that kept everyone’s moral high. I think the fun really came from the limited resources and the creative way we improvised when we needed to.

In every episode you take on a new task, be it making Maggi in less than two minutes or writing the perfect apology. Which episode stood out for you the most?

I don’t think there is any one particular episode that was more fun to shoot than the other. But I think the foodie in me enjoyed the ice cream episode the most. I surprised myself with how that turned out. I have my MasterChef application form on standby.

What can the viewers expect from the upcoming episode?

As the show progresses, I will continue to take on challenges — pushing my creative boundaries — while coming up with innovative techniques and ingenious solutions. Each challenge is either entirely ‘Epic’ or a complete ‘Fail’. Either way, all episodes create a fun learning experience for Snapchatters!

What helped you stay active/fit physically and mentally during the lockdown?

We all struggled with keeping mentally and physically fit in the lockdown. My life went from travelling the world and being in amongst 1000’s of people every night to not travelling past my front door and trying to entertain my wife, which I also failed with.

Trying to be creative and knowing that there will be light at the end of the tunnel kept me going. Not losing faith, and trying to just innovate, preparing myself for the day I can pack my suitcase again and be better than when I last unpacked it. That kept me going.

What is your biggest takeaway from lockdown?

Time! Time to recharge, rethink and revisit some of the things I had only thought of but never had the time and motivation to do.

The biggest takeaway from this challenging phase is that it is important to find happiness in small things. It’s not the outcome but the journey that matters. You may either do something out of the box or simply fail; thus, learning from it either way.