Breathing Mumbai Air? Might As Well Smoke A Marlboro: Vir Das

Photo: Instagram/@virdas

MUMBAI (ANI)- Stand-up comedian and actor Vir Das has taken a witty yet serious dig at Mumbai’s worsening air pollution, comparing breathing in the city to smoking a cigarette.

Das shared a post on Instagram, stating, “I’ll smoke a cigarette socially, maybe fifteen days a year. The remaining days, I’m a breathing Mumbaikar. Same taste. Today Mumbai was a Marlboro Light.”

This isn’t the first time Das has voiced concerns over Mumbai’s Air Quality Index.

In February, he posted a detailed note about the city’s pollution crisis, warning of its long-term effects.

“Unless something drastic is done, the legacy of each government is going to be the pollution they let us live in. This point will probably be taken up when we realize the long-term effects it had on the generation just born, and those in old age too.”

He further stressed the need for bold policy decisions, acknowledging they may cause short-term inconvenience but would ultimately be worthwhile.

“Some drastic policy decisions need to happen. Goes without saying that the decisions will make us hugely unhappy in the interim. We will moan like we did when we got new airports and new bridges, but it will eventually be worth it. I’m just saying it’s 7:30 a.m., and the AQI is 170. At this time, there are kids going to school and old people on walks. Air isn’t political, air doesn’t care about your income status, air isn’t religious, air isn’t patriotic, air doesn’t vote. If there’s one thing worth fixing, it’s the air,” he wrote.

Mumbai has been grappling with poor air quality, with AQI levels frequently crossing unhealthy thresholds, raising health concerns for residents.