Vijay Varma

Vijay Verma • विजय वर्मा

Vijay Varma is an Indian actor who works predominantly in Hindi films and series. He graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, before gaining recognition with the crime drama film Pink (2016). This was followed by supporting roles in Middle Class Abbayi (2017), Gully Boy (2019) and Baaghi 3 (2020). His performance in the former earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Be...

Vijay Varma is an Indian actor who works predominantly in Hindi films and series. He graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, before gaining recognition with the crime drama film Pink (2016). This was followed by supporting roles in Middle Class Abbayi (2017), Gully Boy (2019) and Baaghi 3 (2020). His performance in the former earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. Varma has since starred in several streaming projects, including Mirzapur (2020–present), Darlings (2022), Dahaad (2023), Kaalkoot (2023), Jaane Jaan (2023), and IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack (2024). For his performance in the series Dahaad, he won the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series (Critics). Early life and education Varma was born on 29 March 1986 in a Marwari business family settled in Hyderabad, India. He attended St. Theresa High School and later studied at the FTII. Career Varma began his acting career in theatre in his hometown of Hyderabad. Aspiring to receive formal training, he attended the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune for two years. Upon graduation, Varma relocated to Mumbai to pursue a career in film and television. 2008–2015: Early work and film debut Varma's first on-screen appearance was in the short film Shor (2008), which garnered accolades at various film festivals, including Best Short Film at the MIAAC festival in New York. He made his television debut in 2010 with a role in the YRF Television series Rishta.com. His feature film debut came with the historical drama Chittagong (2012), where he portrayed the revolutionary Subodh "Jhunku" Roy. He subsequently took on supporting roles in films such as Rangrezz (2013) and Gang of Ghosts (2014). 2016–2018: Breakthrough with Pink and supporting roles Varma achieved his first major recognition with Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury's social thriller Pink (2016). His portrayal of Ankit Malhotra, one of the antagonists, was widely noted by critics and contributed to the film's critical and commercial success, marking a significant turning point in his career. He then starred in the lead role of a conflicted rookie cop in the neo-noir thriller Monsoon Shootout (2017). The film premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival but was released theatrically in India in 2017. The same year, Varma made his debut in Telugu cinema as the antagonist Siva Shakti opposite Nani in Middle Class Abbayi (MCA), which proved to be a commercial success. He also appeared in Raag Desh (2017) and Manto (2018). 2019–present: Wider acclaim and rise in prominence Varma's career gained further momentum with Zoya Akhtar's musical drama Gully Boy (2019). His performance as Moeen Arif, a complex character who is both a friend and a morally ambiguous figure, received widespread critical acclaim and earned him a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. This role solidified his reputation as a versatile actor. He also made a special appearance in Super 30 (2019). In 2020, Varma expanded his presence across films and streaming platforms. He was part of Zoya Akhtar's segment in the Netflix horror anthology Ghost Stories and played a supporting role in the action film Baaghi 3. He took on leading roles in the ZEE5 films Bamfaad, as an antagonist, and Yaara. A significant milestone in his streaming career came with his dual role as twin brothers Bharat Tyagi and Shatrughan Tyagi in the second season of the popular Amazon Prime Video crime series Mirzapur, where his performance was well-received. During this period, he also featured in the BBC One adaptation of A Suitable Boy as Rasheed, a university lecturer, and had a recurring role as Sasya, a narcotics dealer, in the Netflix crime drama She. Varma continued to showcase his range with projects like the Disney+ Hotstar sci-fi comedy series OK Computer (2021), where he played cybercrime detective Saajan Kundu. In 2022, he garnered significant critical acclaim for his portrayal of Hamza Shaikh, an abusive husband, in the Netflix black comedy film Darlings, co-starring Alia Bhatt and Shefali Shah. The year 2023 was particularly notable for Varma, with several high-profile releases. He received widespread praise and the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series (Critics) for his role as Anand Swarnakar, a mild-mannered serial killer, in the Amazon Prime Video crime thriller series Dahaad. He then starred as Sub-inspector Ravi Shankar Tripathi in the JioCinema crime drama series Kaalkoot, tackling the issue of acid attacks. In film, he co-starred with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat in Sujoy Ghosh's Netflix thriller Jaane Jaan, playing Inspector Karan Anand. He also featured in Ghosh's segment "Sex With Ex" in the Netflix anthology Lust Stories 2. In 2024, Varma appeared in the ensemble cast of Homi Adajania's mystery-comedy Murder Mubarak for Netflix. He also portrayed Captain Sharan (based on Captain Devi Sharan) in the historical thriller series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, also for Netflix, which depicted the 1999 Indian Airlines flight hijacking. His upcoming projects include the film Gustaakh Ishq. Personal life Varma has a keen interest in fashion, drawing style inspiration from actors such as Daniel Day-Lewis and Jackie Chan. In an interview with Vogue India, he expressed admiration for Day-Lewis's wardrobe as a form of personal storytelling and cited Chan's monochrome costuming as an influence. His experimental fashion sense has been praised for its versatility. He enjoys traveling and exploring diverse cuisines, often discussing his love for cities like Hyderabad for its culinary blend of Mughlai and South Indian cuisine, as well as Mumbai and Shillong for their cultural appeal. His engagement with food cultures was highlighted in a discussion on regional cuisines with Sonakshi Sinha. In April 2025, Varma moved into a new sea-facing apartment in Juhu, Mumbai, marking a personal milestone. The move, reported by multiple sources, reflects his rising success in the film industry. Media image and artistry Varma is known for his critically acclaimed roles and while he has successfully portrayed the bad guy on screen many times, he is known for his versatility, with Karan Johar saying, "Vijay Varma's versatility can take him to all kinds of places in the world". Jitesh Pillai of Filmfare noted, "Vijay is a method actor who somehow fits seamlessly into commercial films." He further praised his "self-deprecating humour". Tatsam Mukherjee of Film Companion stated, "There's something compelling about the way he brings out the dark, repulsive shades of the roles he plays." Prateek Sur of Outlook India praises that actor for his "versatility" and "impactful performances". Praising his "flawless" acting, Akshat Sundrani of India TV News added, "Varma's passion for his craft and outstanding ability to express emotions solidify him as one of the most accomplished performers in the film industry." Bangalore Mirror termed him one of Bollywood’s "most enigmatic and skilled actors". His performance in Gully Boy is regarded as one of the "100 Greatest Performances of the Decade" by Film Companion. Filmography Films All films are in Hindi unless otherwise noted. Series Awards and nominations References External links Vijay Varma at IMDb Vijay Varma on Instagram