LIVING BY HIS OWN RULES : VIJAY VARMA

He values camaraderie over competition, enjoying games where everyone wins. Pursuing his dreams in Mumbai instead of joining the family business, he let go of spirituality when it became a crutch. As a style icon, he’s indifferent to fashion trends, wearing only what resonates with him. Sitting down with HELLO!, the enigmatic actor exudes an elusive aura, a testament to marching to the beat of his own drum

- ANANYA SHANKAR

There’s something incredibly enigmatic about Vijay Varma. His passion, dedication and raw talent are undeniable, yet there’s an elusive quality that draws you in. Ironically, a trait that mirrors the complexity of his characters, like Hamza from Darlings, Anand from Dahaad, Karan from Jaane Jaan or his namesake in Lust Stories 2.

As soon as Vijay steps into the studio to shoot for our cover, his energy is palpable — he’s raring to go. He sorts through the racks of outfits laid out for him with remarkable finesse, though this comes as no surprise. After all, besides his impressive filmography, he’s known to be quite the fashionista. But oddly enough, he doesn’t see it that way, revealing, “If it’s about having a general sense of the industry, I’m clueless; I never know what’s in trend. I just know that I have stuff from six seasons ago and I still love it!”

Vijay isn’t your typical ‘nepo baby’ in Bollywood. Hailing from Hyderabad, his parents wanted him to join the family business. But he packed his bags and set off for Mumbai, chasing his dreams with the same tenacity as Moeen, his character from Gully Boy. He reflects, “Moeen didn’t have anything going for him since childhood… He’s a self-made survivor. And this is a quality I share with him, being an outsider in an industry where people have so much privilege.” What makes Moeen Vijay’s favourite character to date, isn’t just that this film was his first big theatre release. It’s the fact that, like Vijay, Moeen had to hustle, carve out his own place, and maintain a sense of bravado.