What the hell have you made?’ That is a question Vir Das admittedly heard frequently at a recent screening of Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos. “That is good feedback. Everybody seemed to be laughing,” said the actor and International Emmy-winning comedian, who has turned director with the spy comedy. 

The idea of Happy Patel lurked in Das’s mind for almost 15 years. It needed the right time and the right producer. The actor got lucky on the second count. “After writing the script, I called Aamir [Khan] sir and said, ‘I’ve got this mad movie. You might be the only person who will produce it.’ He called me in. Keep in mind, I hadn’t spoken to him since Delhi Belly [2011].”