Vinay Varma

Vinay Varma
Born	Hyderabad, India
Occupation(s)	Theatre practitioner, actor, scriptwriter, casting director
Website	www.vinayvarma.in

Vinay Varma is an Indian theatre practitioner, actor, scriptwriter, and casting director. Straddling stage and screen, he has acted in and directed over 45 plays, while his film career includes more than 40 titles in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, and one Hollywood production. His work further extends to the digital and television space, with notable roles in series such as Qubool Hai? and A Simple Murder. ^[1]

From academia to the arts

Born in Hyderabad to academic scholar Dr. Anand Raj Varma ^[2] , he grew up with the ambition of becoming a physician. When he failed to fulfil this dream, he turned towards the humanities. Over the years, he worked as a lecturer, news reporter, administrator, and translator before resigning from his banking career in the early 2000s to pursue theatre.

Over the decades, he has directed 45+ plays, acted in more than 50, and performed in 200 productions across India and abroad. Some of his well-known performances include Natasamrat, Raktbeej, ^[3] Main Rahi Masoom, ^[4] Siyaah Haashiye, Stronger Than Superman, Main Nathuram Godse, Death Watch, Kanjoos Makkhi Choose, ^[5] David Mamet's Oleanna. ^{[6] [7]} His play Main Rahi Masoom is based on the life of writer Dr Rahi Masoom Raza. Besides Hyderabad, Main Rahi Masoom has been performed in Kala Ghoda Arts Festival – Mumbai, 3rd Minerva National Theatre Festival – Kolkata, Pratyay Theatre Festival – Kolhapur, 12th Bharath Rang Mahotsav – New Delhi, 22nd National Drama Festival – Allahabad, 8th World Theatre Olympics-Chandigarh, Film and Television Institute of India-Pune. It was also performed in Chennai, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bengaluru etc. Vinay Varma was also invited by the Society of Friends International, London, to stage Main Rahi Masoom. ^[8] On 2 March 2018, Main Rahi Masoom celebrated its 50th show, at Ravindra Bharathi, Hyderabad, India. He directed Sutradhar's debut Marathi play, Passwala. It premiered on World Theatre Day 2024 in Hyderabad. Passwala brings to life Jayant Pawar's (senior journalist & playwright) dialogue with a crematorium keeper in Worli, Mumbai. ^[9]

Filmography

Telugu films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2025	Artiste	Ravindra, a lecherous debtor (Krisheka Patel's father) [10]
2024	Dhoom Dhaam	Narendra Bhoopathi, a ruthless businessman
2023	Waltair Veerayya	Superintendent of Police
2023	Meter	DGP Dileep Raavath
2023	Music School	Govind Rao Bhaskar Rao Kulkarni, the supportive parent	Also served as the casting director
2023	Aadikeshava	Vijay Mohan, Minister for Mines and Geology
2021	Zombie Reddy	Bhooma Reddy, Anandhi (actress)'s father
2021	Naandhi	Nagendra, a corrupt ex-home minister
2021	Aakashavaani	Dhora, the main villain
2021	Drushyam 2	CI J. Prathap, member of Goutham's (Sampath Raj) investigation team
2020	V	Sadique Hasan, the benevolent underworld don
2020	IIT Krishnamurthy	ACP Vinay Varma
2019	Evaru	Banerjee, Regena Cassandrra's lawyer
2019	George Reddy	Minister Ramayya, the main antagonist who plans George Reddy's murder
2019	Meeku Maathrame Cheptha	Avantika Mishra's uncle
2019	Dorasaani	Raja Reddy, the main antagonist of the Dora village
2019	Boy	Mathematics teacher Nagendra
2018	Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava	Timma Reddy, N. T. Rama Rao Jr.'s grandfather
2018	Idam Jagath	Police Commissioner Vikram Simha
2016	Gentleman	David, Nivetha Thomas' uncle
2016	Terror	DCP Rathod
2016	Zindagi	Interrogating cop
2014	Anaamika	CI Ravi Chandra
2012	Nippu	Police Commissioner of Dubai
2012	Ko Antey Koti	Inspector Ranjit Kumar
2012	Dream	Doctor
2009	Ninnu Kalisaka	Heroine's (Dipa Shah) father
2006	Veedhi	Sivanna, the main antagonist
2005	Danger	Tantrik
2004	Tapana	Siddhu's (hero) father
2002	Nee Thodu Kavali	Manasa's (Charmy Kaur) father
2000	Love	Pakistani terrorist

Hindi Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2025	Jaat	Superintendent of Police Vivek Kumar
2024	Fighter	Air Commodore Debajyoti "Debu" Biswas, AOC, Air Force Station, Srinagar
2023	Music School	Govind Rao Bhaskar Rao Kulkarni, the supportive parent	Also co-wrote the dialogues and served as casting director
2022	Jersey	Major Krishna Rao, Mrunal Thakur's father
2014	Yeh Hai Bakrapur	Singhania, the right-wing party leader
2014	Bobby Jasoos	Tasawwur's (Ali Fazal) father
2011	Virgin Goat (Laadli Laila)	Butcher
2010	Knock Out	Police Commissioner
2008	Mukhbiir	Underworld don Ismail
2004	Rudraksh	Fake mantrik
2002	16 December	Home Minister Shiv Charan Shukla
1999	Tu Hi Meri Ganga	Loknath, the fake Godman

Hollywood films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2002	Beeper	Tiger, Harvey Keitel's partner in drug peddling

Tamil films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2025	Test	Dharmesh Agarwal, jeweller cum bookie
2014	Anaamika	CI Ravi Chandra

Web series

Year	Title	Role	Platform	Language	Ref.
2022	Qubool Hai?	Rafique pehelwan	aha	Hyderabadi & Telugu	[11]
2021	Game	Rana, the organ racketeer	Hotstar	Telugu
2020	A Simple Murder	Politician Pran Dawas	Sony Liv	Hindi	[12]
2019	Sacred Games	National Security Advisor	Netflix	Hindi

Television

	Name	Language	Role	Notes
1	Ek Kahani (Atmahatya) Ek Kahani (Narsayya ki Baodi)	Hindi	Chiranjeevi & bank loan broker respectively	Two Seasons - 1985 & 1989. On DD National.
2	Dharti Bane Phulwari	Hindi		DD National
3	Dayasagar	Hindi	Judas Iscariot	DD National
4	Shraddha	Hindi	Played a writer, husband of Rama Vij	DD National. Also wrote dialogues for all the episodes.
5	Bala	Urdu	Muazzam, the lecherous son of Aurangazeb	DD National.
6	Manushulu – Mamathalu	Telugu	Protagonist	DD National
7	Madhavi	Telugu	Jaswant Rao, antagonist	DD National
8	Peter the Second	Hindi	Antagonist	Telefilm. DD National.
9	Daanav Hunters	Hindi	Lankeshwar	Epic Channel
10	Naghme ka Safar	Hindi	Doctor	DD National
11	Main Phir Janma Hoon	Hindi	Barabbas	Telefilm. DD National.

Theatre ^[13]

First Year of Performance	Play	Language	Actor/Director	Notes
2025	Maha Periyava	Telugu	Director	Written by Hindu Ganesan. Episodes from the life of 68th Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham - Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati VIII , also known as Periyava.
2025	Passwala (Hindi) [14]	Hindi	Actor	Representation of Jayant Pawar’s conversation with a crematorium keeper
2024	Passwala	Marathi	Director	Representation of Jayant Pawar’s conversation with a crematorium keeper
2023	Dushala [15]	Bengali	Director	Written by Pritham K. Chakravarthy
2023	Jugger'Naatu'kam	Telugu	Director	Written by Srikant Sinker
2022	Aadhi Raat Ke Baad [16]	Hindi	Director	Written by Dr. Shanker Shesh
2022	Dushala (Hindi)	Hindi	Director	Written by Pritham K. Chakravarthy
2021	Weekend [17]	Hindi	Director	Written by Nirmal Verma
2020	Abbey! Em Ledu [18]	Telugu	Director	Written by Sankaramanchi Parthasarathy
2019	Andhere Mein [19]	Hindi	Actor/Director	Partap Sehgal’s Indian adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s “Black Comedy”. Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India.
2019	Oleanna	English	Actor	Written by David Mamet
2017	Kanjoos Makkhi Choose	Deccani/Hyderabadi	Actor/Director	Adaptation of Molière's The Miser
2017	Jaal – Dramatised play reading	Hindi	Actor/Director	Written by Annie Zaidi (writer)
2016	Raktbeej	Hindi	Actor/Director	Written by Dr. Shanker Shesh
2016	Sita Soorpanakha	Hindi	Director	Written by Shivani Tibrewala
2016	Touch	Hindi	Director	Written by Smita Nirula
2015	Bitter Chocolate	Hindi/English/Hyderabadi	Actor/Director	Based on Pinki Virani's book 'Bitter Chocolate'
2015	Out at Sea	Hindi	Actor/Director	Written by Slawomir Mrozek
2015	Agnes of God	Hindi/English	Director	Written by John Pielmeier
2014	Maranoparant	Hindi	Actor/Director	Written by Surendra Verma
2014	The Stronger	Hindi/English	Director	Written by August Strindberg
2014	Post Mortem	Hindi	Director	Written by Milind Tikhe
2013	Ismat - Ek Aurat	Urdu/Hindi	Director	A collection of three short stories by Ismat Chughtai. Staged 15 shows so far.
2013	Mah Laqa Bai Chanda	Urdu/Hindi	Director	Written by Dr. Oudhesh Rani Bawa
2012	Birjees Qadar ka Kunba	Urdu/Hindi	Director	An adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba. Adapted and translated by Dr Raghuvir Sahay.
2011	Isosceles Triangle	English	Actor/Director	Written by Dr. C.H. Phansalkar
2011	Siyaah Haashiye	Urdu	Actor/Director	Based on a collection of 40 short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto. Staged 13 shows so far.
2010	Sita Apaharan Case	Hindi	Actor/Director	Written by Dr. Prem Janmejay
2010	Voids, Spaces & Borders	Hindi/English	Actor/Director	Includes Shivani Tibrewala’s Avoid the Void
2009	Godse – An Assassin Speaks	Hindi/English	Actor/Co-Director	Nathuram Godse’s Monologue
2009	On Vacation	English	Actor/Director	Written by Sachin Kundalkar
2009	Ek Se Badhkar Ek	Hindi	Actor	Adapted from Sankaramanchi Parthasarathy Abbey Em Ledu
2009	Gandhari	Hindi	Director	Written by Dharamvir Bharati
2008	Main Rahi Masoom	Hindi/Urdu	Actor	Based on the life of Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza. Staged 50 shows so far.
2008	Neem Hakim Khatar e Jaan	Hindi	Actor/Director	Adaptation of Molière’s The Doctor In Spite Of Himself (Le Médecin malgré lui)
2008	Kashmakash	Hindi	Director/Actor	Written by Junaid Ullah
2007	Shanivaar ke Do Baje	Hindi	Actor	Written by Surendra Verma
2006	Goodbye Swami	Hindi	Actor	Written by Susheel Kumar Singh
2006	Atmahatya ki Dukaan	Hindi	Director	Written by Asha Varma
2005	Kissa Karodimal Ki Laash Ka	Deccani/Hyderabadi	Actor/Director	Diwakar Babu’s Telugu play Kundeti Kommu. Adapted and translated by Anant Kulkarni.
2005	Room No 13 Block No 14	Hindi	Actor	Written by Srikanth Sinkar
2005	Kisi Aur ka Sapna	Hindi	Director	Written by Nand Kishore Acharya
2005	Andhon ka Haathi	Hindi	Director	Written by Sharad Joshi
2004	Main Nathuram Godse	Hindi	Actor/Co-Director	Pradeep Dalvi’s Marathi play translated by Shanta Kulkarni
2004	Teen Apahij	Hindi	Director	Written by Vipin Agarwal
2004	The Phoenix	Hindi	Director	Written by Abhijit Sircar
2004	Chakravyuha	Hindi	Director	Written by Rajesh Dhabre
2002	Inspector Matadeen Chand Par	Hindi	Actor	Written by Harishankar Parsai
2002	Hay Mera Dil	Hindi	Director	Written by Ranbir Singh
2001	Prastaav	Hindi	Actor/Director	Anton Chekhov’s “The Proposal” adapted in Hindi by *Anant Kulkarni*
2001	Budh Kaam Shudh	Hindi	Director	Written by I. S. Johar
2000	Saiyan Bhaye Kotwal	Hindi	Actor	Adapted from the Marathi folk form Tamasha
2000	Kisi ko toh Jaana Hoga	Hindi	Actor/Director	Based on Subhash Parkhi's Marathi play Kalpana, translated in Hindi by Anant Kulkarni
1980	Coffee House Mein Intezaar	Hindi	Actor	Directed by Dr. D.K. Goel
	Aarop	Hindi	Actor	Written by Suresh Khare, adapted by Anant Kulkarni
	Bus Stop	Marathi	Actor	A workshop production
	Deathwatch	Hindi	Actor
	Four Dimensions	Hindi/English	Actor/Director	Collage of 4 short plays including Dharamvir Bharati's Andha Yug
	Gadha Ya Aadmi	Hindi	Voice-over	Leather puppetry show
	Gandhi Ambedkar	Hindi	Actor/Co-Director	Written by Dr. Premanand Gajvi
	Natasamrat	Hindi	Actor	Written by Kusumagraj
	Pushp	Hindi	Actor	Directed by Dr. Rammohan Holagundi
	Stronger Than Superman	Hindi	Actor	Written by Roy Kift, adapted by Anant Kulkarni
	Five	English	Actor	Written by Shreekumar Varma
	Jungle Book	English	Actor	Directed by Vaishali Bisht
	Krapp ke Antim Shabd	Hindi	Actor	Based on Samuel Beckett’s "Krapp's Last Tapes", translated by Vijay Ahluwalia
	Aage Daudo	Hindi	Actor	Based on Baban Prabhu’s Marathi play, adapted by Anant Kulkarni
	Guddi Pappu aur Munna	Hindi	Actor	Based on Volker Ludwig’s Max und Milli, adapted by Anant Kulkarni
	Langda Ghoda	Hindi	Actor	Written by Kadir Zaman
	Kaath ka Ghoda	Hindi	Actor	Written by Manoranjan Das
	White Rabbit Red Rabbit	Hindi	Actor	Written by Nassim Soleimanpour
	Flowers	Hindi	Actor	Written by Girish Karnad
	Uttaraardh	Marathi/Hindi	Director	Written by Vijay Mondke, translated by Anant Kulkarni
	Phandi	Hindi	Actor/Director	Written by Dr. Shanker Shesh
	Ballabhpur ki Roopkatha	Hindi	Actor/Director	Written by Badal Sarkar
	Raja ka Baaja	Hindi	Actor/Director	Written by Safdar Hashmi
	Interview	Hindi	Actor	Written and directed by Dr. D.K. Goel
	Mahatma	Hindi	Actor	Written and directed by Lingam Pandu Pradeep
	Tambe ke Keede	Hindi	Actor	Written by Bhuvaneshwar Prasad
	Aage Aage Premchand, Peeche Peeche Hum	Hindi	Actor	Directed by Venugopal
	Cyclewalla	Hindi	Actor	Directed by Venugopal
	Brecht ke Laghu Natak	Hindi	Actor	Adapted from Bertolt Brecht's short plays

Workshops

Varma has been conducting Acting, Voice, Audition, and Body Language Workshops at Sutradhar since 1999 and has identified and trained more than 100 talents. Actors trained by him include Vijay Varma, ^[20] Sree Vishnu, Aditi Sharma (Ahana of Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki), Vijay Deverakonda, ^[21] Anand Deverakonda, ^[22] and Aberaam Varma.

References

1. "Guftagoo with Vinay Varma". Rajya Sabha TV. 21 April 2018.
2. "Eminent Personalities".
3. "Raktbeej Reality Bites". Deccan Chronicle. 14 July 2016.
4. "Solemn soliloquy: Vinay Varma on playing Rahi Masoom Raza". Indulge Express. 28 April 2017.
5. Ramakrishna, Lakshmi (28 March 2017). "'Kanjoos Makhi Choose': The miser and his miseries". The Hindu .
6. "A Valiant Showcase". Deccan Chronicle. 23 March 2018.
7. "Sutradhar's Oleanna — A Reflection On Academic Power Play". Times of India. 25 March 2018.
8. "Hyderabad's play Main Rahi Masoom goes global". 25 June 2014.
9. "A glimpse of life vis-a-vis death". 21 March 2024.
10. "Artiste".
11. Dundoo, Sangeetha Devi (14 March 2022). "'Qubool Hai' web series review: The Telugu-Dakhani series scores on some fronts and engages partially". The Hindu.
12. "A Simple Murder Review – A highly entertaining comedy series | klapboardpost". 21 November 2020. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
13. "Theatre".
14. "A glimpse of life vis-a-vis death". 21 March 2024.
15. "Dushala's unspoken truth". 7 November 2023.
16. "Theatre stands tall: Thespian Vinay Varma". 25 March 2022 – via The New Indian Express.
17. "Sutradhar presents 'Weekend' Hindi theatre-plays Play in Hyderabad Tickets".
18. "Make way for some Slapstick comedy". www.newindianexpress.com. 11 November 2021.
19. Sripada, Krishna (6 August 2019). "'Andhere Mein' : A dark comedy, quite literally!". The Hindu.
20. "I'm in safe hands". New Indian Express. 19 December 2017.
21. "Interview with Vijay Devarakonda". telugu360. 15 August 2016.
22. "Dorasani Actor Vinay Varma About Anand Devarakonda | Vinay Varma Interview | Friday Poster". YouTube . 14 July 2019.

External links

• Personal website