A cold wave may be gripping parts of the country, and it may be extremely chilly in hill stations, but one would never expect a polar bear to pop out of a frozen lake unless you are in the Arctic. The sarcasm found a place in Emmy-winning comedian Vir Das's jibe at social media users posting stock photos of Indian tourist spots in a bid to encourage domestic tourism.
"Pls stop using stock photos to support domestic tourism. Also...Lonavala was super chilling this morning. Took this at 6 am. So peaceful. Do visit," read the text accompanying his Instagram photo from the Arctic.
His post comes amid a rush on social media to promote domestic tourism amid a controversy over Maldives ministers using derogatory remarks against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The diplomatic row prompted the #BoycottMaldives trend globally with several celebrities urging Indians to explore Lakshadweep as an alternative tourist destination instead of Maldives.
Many Indian even cancelled their Maldives trips.
The row began after some Maldivian ministers posted insulting remarks targeting India and PM Modi for posting photos and videos from his visit to Lakshadweep where he was seen snorkelling and relaxing on the pristine beach.
Vir Das won his first International Emmy last year for his Netflix special "Vir Das: Landing", a show about what it means to be truly global while looking for a home. His last stand-up special "Vir Das: For India" was also nominated for an International Emmy in the best comedy category in 2021.
He is also known for films like "Go Goa Gone" and "Delhi Belly".
Prior to his Emmy win, his viral "I come from two Indias" monologue in the US had triggered a furious debate on social media and prompted a police complaint in 2021.