Vijay Varma seems acutely aware of the choices he has made with his roles-mostly morally grey and, often, excessively flawed-as he, a rank outsider from Hyderabad, transitioned from the big screen to becoming a ubiquitous presence on streaming platforms. "I hope some of my earlier work didn't scar you," says the 40-year-old actor, a wry smile appearing on his otherwise straight face.
From the chauvinistic friend in 'Pink' (2016) to the petty thief in 'Gully Boy' (2019), a sexual predator and murderer in 'Dahaad' (2023), and power-hungry twin in the third season of 'Mirzapur' (2024), Varma is probably one of the few actors to have covered the entire gamut of problematic-even dangerous—outliers. After 'Pink' (2016), most roles that came his way were in the misogynistic mould. He recalls, "I turned most of them down.. I couldn't understand why these men would do something like this." When he agreed, it was because he was convinced by the arc of the character's journey.
He shed some of that old skin when he played the charming investigative cop in 'Jaane Jaan' (2023) and the fearless pilot-in-command in 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack' (2024). And some more of it when he slipped into the role of the conscientious gambling mogul Brij Bhatti in this year's 'Matka King'. Now with 'Lust Stories 3', he seems to have redeemed himself entirely as well, playing a husband who is devoted to a fault. Read his story on The Nod.
