Vijay Varma Opens Up: ‘Bollywood Saw Me as Just the Hero’s Friend’

Vijay Varma Opens Up About Career Struggles: ‘I Sat Idle Even After Cannes’

Vijay Varma may be one of Bollywood’s most acclaimed performers today, but his journey to success was far from easy. The actor, who once even flew on a charter plane with Amitabh Bachchan, faced long periods without work before his breakthrough in Gully Boy changed his career trajectory.

Currently gearing up for his upcoming Prime Video series Matka King, Vijay reflected on his struggles in a recent interview with PTI. He revealed that despite attending the prestigious Cannes Film Festival with his film Monsoon Shootout, he found himself without work for years afterward.

“The first festival I went to was Cannes with Monsoon Shootout, before any of my work had been released. It felt like a huge breakthrough, but after that, I was sitting idle for many years,” he shared.

A graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Vijay initially took on small roles in films like Pink, Raag Desh, Manto, and Middle Class Abbayi. His performance in Gully Boy, directed by Zoya Akhtar, finally brought him recognition—but also led to typecasting.

‘I’m Bigger Than This’

Speaking candidly, Vijay said it was difficult to break out of stereotypical roles.
“From having no work to doing small roles, and then being limited to them—it was tough. I was often seen as just the friend giving a high five to the hero. Then I was offered a big villain role, and that became another bracket. But I know I’m capable of much more,” he said.

Determined to grow as an actor, he added that he constantly challenges such labels. “Whenever someone tries to put me in a mould, my instinct is to break out of it.”

What’s Next: Matka King

In recent years, Vijay has earned widespread praise for his performances in Darlings, Dahaad, and Mirzapur.

He will next be seen as a gambling kingpin in Matka King, a series inspired by real-life events. The show also stars Kritika Kamra, Gulshan Grover, Sai Tamhankar, Siddharth Jadhav, Girish Kulkarni, and Jamie Lever.

Produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur and directed by Nagraj Popatrao Manjule, the series is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on April 17