India will have two reasons to watch the 2026 International Emmy Awards. Comedian and actor Vir Das has earned his third nomination for his Netflix stand-up special Vir Das: Fool Volume, while SonyLIV’s Real Kashmir Football Club has been nominated in the Drama Series category. The nominations were announced on September 23.
Das has now become the first Indian performer to receive three International Emmy nominations. His latest recognition comes in the Comedy category, where Fool Volume will compete against División Palermo: Season 2, Man vs Baby and Old Dog, New Tricks.
The nomination adds another chapter to Das’ long association with the International Emmys. He first received a nomination in 2021 for his Netflix special Vir Das: For India. Two years later, Vir Das: Landing won the International Emmy for Comedy. In 2024, Das also became the first Indian to host the International Emmy Awards ceremony.
This time, the story behind Fool Volume makes the recognition particularly personal for the comedian.
The special grew out of a period when Das lost his voice. What began as a difficult experience eventually became the foundation for a comedy special centred on silence, finding one’s voice and what happens when that voice is finally used.
Reacting to the nomination, Das described the journey as surreal. He thanked Netflix, his team, the jury and audiences who supported the project. He also reflected on how his first nomination helped him see that Indian comedy could find an audience on the global stage.
Fool Volume premiered on Netflix in July 2025. The stand-up special was filmed across Mumbai, New York and London, bringing together stories about silence, self-doubt, culture and the experience of finding humour in personal struggles.
While Das represents Indian stand-up comedy on the international stage, Real Kashmir Football Club brings an Indian sports story into the Drama Series competition.
The SonyLIV series is inspired by the real story of Jammu and Kashmir’s first professional football club. It follows the people behind the effort to build a team and the young players whose lives become connected through football. The series combines sport with themes of community, ambition, sacrifice and hope.
The show stars Manav Kaul and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in leading roles, along with Abhishant Rana, Muazzam Bhat, Priya Chauhan, Anmol Thakeriadhillon, Afnan Fazli and Shaheem Bhat. It was directed by Mahesh Mathai and Rajesh Mapuskar, with writing credits including Simaab Hashmi, Dhruv Narang, Mahesh Mathai, Danish Renzu and Umang Vyas.
Real Kashmir Football Club made its streaming debut on SonyLIV in December 2025. Its International Emmy nomination puts a story rooted in Kashmir’s football culture alongside international productions in the Drama Series category.
The series is competing against the UK’s A Thousand Blows, France’s Carême and Argentina’s Mehem in the Drama Series category.
For the cast and creators, the nomination also marks recognition for a story that goes beyond football. Manav Kaul has described the series as one of his favourite works and welcomed the recognition for the team behind it.
The two Indian nominations also highlight the range of stories travelling from India to international audiences. Das’ personal comedy special draws from his experience of losing his voice, while Real Kashmir Football Club turns the journey of a football team into a television drama.
The 2026 International Emmy Awards will be held in New York on November 23. The ceremony will determine whether India’s two nominated entries turn their nominations into wins, but both have already secured a place among this year’s international television contenders.
