He featured in several projects prior to Gully Boy, but that’s the film which brought Vijay Varma into the limelight. He grabbed the audience’s attention with one villainous act after another in Pink, Gully Boy, Darlings and the recent Dahaad, becoming quite the toast of showbiz. Vijay tells us that he loves the madness of his evil characters, but now it’s time to move on to a different space. In his personal life, too, the actor is in a new ‘happy space’ with his lady love.

Vijay is thrilled with all the recognition he’s got for his performances so far, but ask him if he wonders why storytellers don’t look at him beyond the negative characters, and Vijay says, “I picked up these projects because I was impressed by the writing. These are roles that stand out in the script. I like to stand out. I have got enough feedback, where people have said, ‘Ab toh kuch achha (positive) karo, ab toh kuch romantic karo’. The idea was that I had to top the madness quotient while playing these evil characters – just top it and then stop it. So, now I think I have topped it, aur ab mein isse zyada kharab nahi ban sakta on screen.”

The actor, who seized the audience and the industry’s attention with Gully Boy, explains how the film opened doors for him. “Even in Gully Boy, I didn’t have a meaty part, but somehow, the film connected and drew a huge audience, and I got exposed to a larger number of people. After that, I had enough work to keep me on my toes for the next two years, until the lockdown happened. During that phase, I probably worked the hardest. I was literally shooting every single day. I had seven releases in 2020.”

Talking about the inner struggle in playing these characters and much recently, his menacing act in Dahaad he says, “It took some time to understand who the person was. I still don’t know who this guy is. He’s such a sick mind that a sane man can only understand this much about him. See, usually you do try to understand the nitty-gritty of a character. You figure out how the person acts and reacts and incorporate that. But as far as Dahaad is concerned, it was difficult to play it because sometimes you have to go through some kind of inner struggle. Like you don’t like this character, and you don’t want to play this character because on some days you just don’t want to be this nasty person (even on camera).”

Recently, while talking about her relationship with Vijay, Tamannaah Bhatia admitted to being in a relationship with him and called him her happy place. Ask him about matters of the heart, and he says, “I am just in a happy space right now where there’s a lot of love in my life. Both Tamannaah and I have had an interesting journey. I am from Hyderabad and came to Mumbai to work, while she is from Mumbai and went to Hyderabad to work. So that is our trajectory… we both left our cities and moved to other cities for work.”

Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 15, 2020)

With three digital releases this year, actor Vijay Varma believes that OTT platforms are providing a much-needed respite to the audience during this time of Coronavirus panic and stress. “Everybody has turned to entertainment now. So, we can realise the importance of storytelling. It’s a great place for people to escape from the daily humdrums of their lives,” he says.

He adds that OTT platforms are “a great place to bond” due to the conversations they give rise to, and the global exposure that audiences get in terms of content. He says, “Language is no barrier. We’re even watching Mexican shows. It’s like sitting at home and getting to travel and be part of other people’s minds and households. We’re lucky that OTT platforms are running in full capacity right now.”

The Gully Boy (2019) actor, however, says that despite facing competition from the digital space, cinema halls will continue to thrive in the coming months. “Nothing can replace the magic of watching a film at a theatre. It’s a community experience. We aren’t distracted by the fact that there are other people around us. Cinema halls have a larger-than-life screen,” he says.

Varma points out that both the mediums have now merged and they will continue to co-exist. “People are setting up their homes with big screens and great audio systems. Some watch films and shows on their phones but once they connect their headphones, it makes for an immersive experience. It’s great that we have the choice of watching a film at a theatre with our families and on our mobile phone screens in the comfort of our homes,” he explains.

The actor asserts that the debate about theatres and multiplexes witnessing a fall in their businesses is futile. “I don’t see cinema dying anytime soon. It will only flourish henceforth, because we’ve understood the importance of it during the lockdown. When television came, many believed that cinema was going to die but it didn’t. Cinema evolved and it survived,” he concludes.

Vijay Varma raves about his Baaghi 3 co-star’s ninja-like disposition and reveals why he did Pink
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 29, 2020)

Hyderabad boy and FTII alumnus, Vijay Varma, entered films in 2012 with Bedabrata Pain’s Chittagong. Four years later, he was noticed as a well-connected brat in Shoojit Sircar’s Pink. With last year’s Gully Boy, in which he played friend-cum-benefactor to Ranveer Singh’s fledgling rapper Murad, the actor has hit his stride.

This year, he will be seen in the Tiger Shroff-fronted Baaghi 3. By Vijay’s estimate, it hasn’t been an easy ride. “Some of my films didn’t get a release and the ones that did, failed to work. How to survive that… they don’t teach you in school. It was a learning that required a lot of patience,” he sighs.

Describing his character in Baaghi 3 as “ambiguous, colourful, deceitful and funny”. “Akhtar Lahori helps Tiger’s Ronnie reunite with his brother (played by Riteish Deshmukh), but the role is written in a way that will make the audience wonder whose side he is on,” Vijay winks, going on to heap praises on his co-star’s almost ninja-like disposition. “While shooting in icy Serbia, we would be shivering even under multiple layers of clothes. But Tiger, like a Shaolin Master, was shirtless and doing stunts, not even seeking the warmth of heaters and blankets. We spoke at length about Jackie Shroff, the OG Gully Boy,” he gushes.

Vijay goes on to share that one of the biggest lessons he learnt on the job was that it pays to work with big names. “They can take care of you. I did Pink primarily for that reason, and it was the best decision I’ve taken”, he asserts.

Next up, the 33-year-old actor will be seen in the Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Kaushal-starrer Hurdang. “It’s a passionate love story against the backdrop of the Mandal Commission and set in the Uttar Pradesh hinterland. I play Loha Singh, a pretty extreme and nuanced part,” he shares.

After wrapping up the shoot of BBC's show A Suitable Boy, Vijay Varma on the experience of collaborating with Mira Nair
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 14, 2020)

One would imagine him to be euphoric after earning a place among the cast of A Suitable Boy, an official adaptation of Vikram Seth's bestselling novel and easily among the most ambitious projects of the year. Especially so since it is helmed by one of the finest talents the country has witnessed, Mira Nair.

But Vijay Varma voices the apprehension that every actor probably feels before reporting to a set, when he says, "Initially, I was so scared of doing A Suitable Boy. Two months of a marathon shoot in Lucknow later, the actor — who plays Rasheed in the six-part BBC series — looks back at it as the "most poignant experience of my career so far". "When one walks onto a Mira Nair set, you are expected to flourish. She is a task master who expects everyone to bring on their A-game."

In an earlier interview, Varma had revealed that he had to learn Urdu for the show. Broach the subject, and he explains that there was a lot more to do than merely prepare for the character. "This set was a master class; the expectation was to excel and not just exist. We went for yoga classes, workshops, dialect coaching and meditation. A lot of actors had dance classes too. There was no scope for slacking. She taught me the value of preparing for a day's work, instead of solely relying on my expertise and experience. I was juggling between Baaghi 3 and this project, and you can imagine how diametrically opposite these worlds are."

Varma grabbed the spotlight with his role in Gully Boy helmed by Zoya Akhtar, who is, interestingly, a protégé of Nair. The actor shares, "Very few directors have so much clarity of thought. On that count, Zo and Mira are uncannily similar. After every good shot, Zo does another take, saying, 'This one is for love'. Mira does the same. When she did it the first time, I told her that Zoya does it too. She wickedly laughed and said, 'Yeah, she learnt that from me.'"

In the period piece that also features Tabu and Tanya Maniktala, he plays an aide and confidante to Ishaan Khatter's Maan Kapoor, as they explore the religious differences and dynamics of '50s India. He is all praise for his young co-star, "Ishaan reached out to me post Gully Boy and we met socially thereafter. He is a curious, enthusiastic young actor who keenly observes the craft of filmmaking."

Over the past month, Varma — along with the team of A Suitable Boy — had been rallying for the release of co-star Sadaf Jafar, who was arrested from the anti-CAA protests in Lucknow. She was let out on bail last week. "We were in touch with Sadaf's family to get updates. We were concerned about her, [especially since she suffered] internal bleeding [in jail]. Mira spoke to important people, the press and we were told that there were major roadblocks in her release. Her bail has come as a sigh of relief for us. She is finally home with her kids!"

Vijay Varma says he looks at 2019 as a turning point in his career; adds it helped shape his career
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; December 29, 2019)

“Gully Boy has opened up interesting avenues for me. I’ve been getting meaty parts in films and on the web,” says Vijay Varma, who shot to fame with the film that released early this year. Post the film, the actor has had his hands full with four web shows, an adaptation of A Suitable Boy, and three feature films, Baaghi 3, Hurdang and Bumfaad.

Vijay is happy that members of the industry are taking a keen interest in him now. “Commercial filmmakers and people who create rich content are interested in me now. At the same time, there’s also been some noise in the journalism and the fashion community. It’s been pretty good and comprehensive. I’m also participating in it,” he says.

Ask him about Gully Boy not making it to the final Oscar nomination list in the Best International Feature Film category, and he says, “Though we all knew that it would be an uphill task, we were disappointed that the film didn’t make it. But it’s always good to fight. I’ve fought for so many years to say what I’ve wanted to say and do what I wanted to do. I understand the importance and joy of fighting.”

The actor is, however, happy that with his film, India could make “small inroads into the bigger world”. He says, “With Inside Edge, Lust Stories and Gully Boy, Zoey (Zoya Akhtar; filmmaker) tried to break into a bigger market. Right now, a lot of people in America know about Made In Heaven and Gully Boy. That, in itself, opens up the possibility to create content that’ll have a market outside India, even beyond the Indian diaspora.”

Encapsulating 2019, Vijay says, “I would look back at 2019 as a turning point in my life. A lot of stuff that I’ve been thinking and wanting to accomplish for years started happening in 2019. This was a landmark year that shaped my career as an actor. It has been a year full of great collaborations. I’m finally getting the chance to work in a capacity that I really appreciate.”

So, how does he plan on bidding farewell to an amazing year? “It has been a lot of hard work this year and so I look forward to ending the year with two days of doing absolutely nothing and probably just relax and be with my mum,” he signs off. 

Unravelling nuances of Rashid as he browses through the pages of A Suitable Boy, Gully Boy’s Vijay Varma on hopping aboard Mira Nair’s adaptation
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 12, 2019)

Well abreast that they would play second fiddle to Ranveer Singh in the rap-drama Gully Boy, a crop of actors shone so bright in Zoya Akhtar’s offering that they opened several doors for themselves in Bollywood. Unarguably one among them, Vijay Varma admits that his casting in Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy was an opportunity that the Singh-starrer afforded him.

“I first sensed Mira’s interest [in me] when Zoya told me she had loved the film. I was surprised that Mira had seen it,” says Varma, who had auditioned for a couple of parts for the six-hour BBC adaptation of Vikram Seth’s novel. “A few weeks later, I got a call from the casting agents. I have been roped in to play the role of Rashid, an Urdu teacher.”

Seth’s novel describes Rashid as a complicated man stuck in a marriage that lacks passion. He strikes an unlikely friendship with a pivotal character. While the actor has read the screenplay, he is yet to unravel the nuances of his character, given that he’s taken up the task of reading the 1,400 pager only now. “I was waiting to get clarity [on my role] before picking up the book. It’s better to not know too much before an audition so that you can bank on your instincts to [deliver].”

He understands that nabbing the language will demand a fair share of toil. “There are nuances to him; he is a tormented man, and a fairly interesting character to play. We should start shooting in September.”

As is the case with every character-actor like him, Varma is evidently delighted to add a Nair film to his resume. “She has been among the most influential people in my life during my formative years as an actor. [Nair-backed] The Namesake is among my all-time favourite films. We spoke at length about it. Mira has a [certain] prestige; [it’s akin to doing] a Woody Allen-film.”

Actors including Tabu, Randeep Hooda and Shefali Shah feature in the show.

Vijay Varma, one of Gully Boy's breakout stars, on working with Ranveer Singh
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 19, 2019)

"The first time I saw Gully Boy, I wanted to shout from rooftops," smiles Vijay Varma. Essaying the role of Ranveer Singh's childhood friend Moeen in the film, the actor has walked away with a bulk of praise. He says it is to director Zoya Akhtar's credit that the supporting actors too had the opportunity to hold their own in a film that has stellar leads in Singh and Alia Bhatt.

"Zoya made sure every character is fleshed out. Almost 90 per cent of Moeen was on paper, only a few things were impromptu such as the rap sequence at the Benetton store. It was Ranveer's idea." Ask him if he questioned his character's moral compass, and he says, "Life is hard in the demographic he belongs to. It's difficult to bring food to the table. Murad [Singh's character] too could have turned that way, but Moeen doesn't let him get reduced to that."

Talking about his first collaboration with Singh, he says, "There isn't an insecure bone in his body. Ranveer allows his co-actors to shine. He is so real and allows people to feed off his energy."

Actor Vijay Varma on working with the filmmaker on her next that features Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt as leads
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 23, 2018)

After featuring in Shoojit Sircar’s National Award-winning Pink alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu, and Monsoon Shootout with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vijay Varma will be seen in Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy with Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. “The film is about finding your voice against all odds. I play one of the boys from the gully and share a love-hate relationship with Ranveer’s character though my part isn’t related to music at all. I will be shooting on and off till April,” says Varma, who kicked off work with a lighthearted sequence last week in Mumbai. “The film’s team knows how to spoil their actors. There was a goodie bag waiting for me in my van on the first day. It was really smooth with everything planned well in advance. We had enough time for rehearsals and go through the scenes meticulously.”

Varma, who is working on his prep, says, “Zoya has been really effective as a director, she built a strong foundation before we went on the sets. A lot of work is going into getting the Bambaiya lingo right and I’ve been spending time with people from Dharavi who can help me perfect it. I have also been told to grow my hair and nails out to look the part. Atul Mongia had been roped in to conduct workshops with us and we discussed the character and the film.”

On how he was brought on-board, he informs that Zoya saw him in the Monsoon Shootout trailer when he met her during the casting process and was impressed. “It is funny how after Pink I was only getting chauvinistic roles. After Monsoon Shootout, everyone wanted to give me a gun and a uniform. Thankfully, now I am getting roles that are unlike the ones I have already played and I am enjoying it,” the actor signs off.