Vijay Varma plays a narcissistic wife beater with such conviction and ease in the Alia Bhatt-Shefali Shah-starrer Darlings that his portrayal stands out in the list of abusive-husband characters in Hindi cinema so far. As Alia’s screen husband Hamza Shaikh, Vijay can instil fear even without being physically intimidating.
After appearing in supporting roles in several movies and web series, Vijay is fetching accolades for matching Alia and Shefali step for step in his first major role in Darlings, directed by Jasmeet K. Reen.
As we gear up for the release of two of his upcoming projects, Reema Kagti’s Dahaad and Sujoy Ghosh’s adaptation of The Devotion of Suspect X, here are some of Vijay’s top performances that you can watch online.
Aditya in Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout (2013)
Vijay Varma as Aditya in Monsoon Shootout. Twitter
After graduating from the Film And Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune in 2008, Vijay starred in Amit Kumar’s neo-noir action thriller film Monsoon Shootout as a rookie cop, Aditya, who’s after a criminal, Shiva (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). Vijay portrays the vulnerability of a cop who’s still green behind the ears, and is tormented by the thought of killing an innocent man and sparing a criminal. As Aditya, Vijay held his own in Monsoon Shootout next to seasoned performers such as Neeraj Kabi, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
Watch it on: Disney+ Hotstar
Moeen in Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy (2019)
Vijay Varma and Ranveer Singh in Gully Boy. Twitter
Gully Boy belonged to two rappers, played by Ranveer Singh and Siddhant Chaturvedi, and it wasn’t a mean feat to leave a mark in his limited screen time as an important cog in this boy gang. As Moeen, a carjacker, Vijay embodied the essence of Dharavi – a flawed man who feeds slum children but also uses them for drug peddling to make ends meet. This was also Vijay’s first impactful appearance in a Bollywood blockbuster, through which he caught the attention of a much larger audience.
Watch it on: Amazon Prime Video
Sasya in Imtiaz Ali’s web series She (2020)
Vijay Varma as Sasya in She Season 1. YouTube
In Season 1 of Imtiaz Ali’s crime drama series She (2020), Vijay was cast as Sasya, a morally bankrupt gangster from Hyderabad living in the slums of Mumbai. Vijay played Sasya with a mix of swagger and abandon that made it one of the most memorable characters from the first season of She. He also used a particular tone of Hyderabadi accent which enhanced the character’s sleaziness, and his interrogation scenes with constable Bhumika Pardeshi (played by Aaditi Pohankar) are the highlights of the series.
Watch it on: Netflix
Rasheed in Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy (2020)
Vijay Varma and Ishaan Khatter in A Suitable Boy. Twitter
In Mira Nair’s television adaptation of Vikram Seth’s most popular novel, Vijay played Rasheed, who teaches Urdu to Saeeda’s (Tabu) sister. Rasheed is from an influential rural family but loathes his father for his corrupt practices. He later becomes depressed and ends up taking his life. Vijay took coaching in Urdu to prepare for the role and got the nuances of Urdu spot on.
Watch it on: Netflix
Saajan Kundu, in of Ok Computer (2021)
Vijay Varma as Saajan Kundu in Ok Computer. YouTube
Vijay’s most ambitious project till date has been Pooja Shetty and Neil Pagedar’s absurdist philosophical science fiction comedy series Ok Computer. He plays the role of an angry law enforcement official Saajan Kundu, who is suspicious of AI machines and is an acute germaphobe. Set in 2031, the six-part series, produced by Anand Gandhi, is one of the most original sci-fi projects ever attempted in India. Ok Computer explores the relationship between robots and humans in the future. Vijay, as Saajan, is the heart of the show that highlights his skill in excelling in an awkward mix of comedy and bizarre story elements.
Watch it on: Disney+ Hotstar
Bharat/ Shatrughan Tyagi in Mirzapur Season 2 (2021)
Vijay Varma Mirzapur season 2. Twitter
Vijay joined the cast of Amazon Prime Video’s hit crime drama series Mirzapur in its second season, and partly stole the show. He had a double role as twin brothers from a crime family in Bihar. Vijay differentiated his two roles – Bharat and Shatrughan Tyagi, who are in different phases of their lives – with elegance and maturity. From his accent to his demeanour, he channelled the rural simplicity, mixed with the guns-and-gangs vibe of the Bhojpur-Purvanchal region.
Watch it on: Amazon Prime Video
