He received rave reviews for his turn in the web series IC814: The Kandahar Hijack , where he held his own in a cast studded with Indian acting stalwarts. But Vijay Varma feels that even though he’s had the opportunity to learn a lot from his co-actors, his time to headline projects has arrived. “Going forward, I am looking primarily towards central roles, as I’ve had stints with ensemble casts.
I want to do something where I have a lot more responsibility,” says the actor, adding, “It’s a safe place to have actors such as Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, Manoj Pahwa and Kumud Mishra around you, with a solid director ( Anubhav Sinha ) to tell a story. I am choosing parts which have more to bite on to find more of my potential.” Reflecting on his trajectory so far, the 38-year-old says, “I played the lead role in my first film, but it was never released.
Then I really had to find my own ground and started with supporting roles.” Although Varma quickly made a name for himself in negative roles, he says he soon wanted a break from them. “It began playing in the audience’s head ki yeh hai toh kuch gadbad hi hogi!” he quips.
As for IC 814 , the actor calls it a “prestige project”. “I wear it as a medal of honour,” he tells us and continues, “It’s special because of the talent involved and [the fact that] it’s a retelling of a story from a crucial point in our history.” What sort of roles is he looking forward to now? He replies, “I’m looking at theatrical films and roles that will push me.
The story should connect with a larger audience — if not the largest. Films like Piku (2015) and Pink (2016) may not find theatrical releases anymore, but I think it’s a matter of a couple of films doing well.” It’s very personal: Vijay on dating Tamannaah When asked about his love life, Varma, who made his relationship with actor Tamannaah Bhatia public last year, says, “It is very personal and we maintain it that way.
[Scrutiny] doesn’t affect me, I don’t let people get involved in my personal space.” The couple met on the sets of Lust Stories 2 (2023) and began dating shortly after wrapping the film..
