‘AQI, AQI, Let Me Die’: Vir Das Calls Out Mumbai’s Worsening Pollution In Hilarious Song

Comedian-actor Vir Das has a unique way of reacting to things. Sometimes it’s a straight post, other times, it’s laden with sarcasm. Today, he turned his creative energies toward Mumbai’s worsening air

pollution, penning a satirical yet heartfelt song about the city’s thickening smog.

Sharing a video on Instagram, Vir crooned lines like “AQI, AQI, let me die”, blending humour with stark commentary on the daily challenges Mumbaikars face due to hazardous air quality.

“Woke up this morning and I took a little breath. God showed up because he thought that I was dead. I was like, hang on bro, it’s because of the smoke. It’s just life inside of this, he met her Oh AQI,” Vir sang.

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A post shared by Vir Das (@virdas)

He further reflected on mornings in the city, from dry throats in Bandra to relentless construction projects.

“My life And I really tried to keep the spirit of Mumbai Smoke is wrong, we can’t see eye to eye And my throat is dry Bandra world this evening I can’t see either side… Builders building every day. Do we need 9000 BHKs?” Vir crooned with his ukulele.

He also addressed the struggles of children confined indoors and elderly residents coping with pollution, singing, “If your kids are locked in a room…Dadaji is like, let me die beta…This smoke is making me choke. Why can’t we see eye to eye?”

With a mix of satire and sincerity, Vir wrote as the caption: ” A.Q.I.YAI YAIII! Woke up, took a breath, wrote this.”

Earlier on Friday, the stand up comedian shared a post saying that “drastic policy decisions need to happen” for the worsening air quality and stressing that “air isn’t political, so it’s one thing worth fixing.” His post has sparked a fresh debate online.

He reshared on X a post that he originally uploaded in February this year. He wrote, “Unless something drastic is done, the legacy of each govt is going to be the pollution they let us live in. This point will probably be when we realise the long-term effect it had on the generation just born, and those in old age too.”

He further added, “Some drastic policy decisions need to happen. Goes without saying those decisions will make us hugely unhappy in the interim. We will bi**h and moan like we did when we got new airports and new bridges. But it will eventually be worth it.”

Earlier on Thursday, he posted a sarcastic video from his living room, adding a smoke filter to dramatise Mumbai’s smoggy mornings.

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A post shared by Vir Das (@virdas)

In the clip, he is heard saying: “Morning from Mumbai everyone, hope everybody’s doing well. I’m not gonna cough at this point, my lungs have adapted, it’s fine. Oh, you think this is the outside? No, this is what’s happening inside you (sic).”

Mumbai this week was covered with a thick blanket of smog. The city is slowly slipping deep into the ‘very poor’ air category. Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) has now touched the severe category.

(With inputs from agencies)