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 career includes films mostly in Telugu and Hindi. His work further extends to the digital and television space, with roles in series such as Qubool Hai? and A Simple Murder.
From academia to the arts
Born in Hyderabad to academic scholar Dr. Anand Raj Varma, 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, Main Rahi Masoom, Siyaah Haashiye, Stronger Than Superman, Main Nathuram Godse, Death Watch, Kanjoos Makkhi Choose, David Mamet's Oleanna. 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. 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.
Varma has been conducting Acting, Voice, Audition, and Body Language Workshops at Sutradhar since 1999 and has identified and trained more than 300 talents. Actors trained by him include Vijay Varma, Sree Vishnu, Aditi Sharma (Ahana of Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki), Vijay Deverakonda, Anand Deverakonda, and Aberaam Varma.
Career
Filmography
Telugu films Year Title Role Notes2000LovePakistani terrorist2002Nee Thodu KavaliManasa's father2004TapanaSiddhu's father2005DangerTantrik2006VeedhiSivanna2009Ninnu KalisakaDeepti's father2012NippuPolice Commissioner of DubaiKo Antey KotiInspector Ranjit KumarDreamDoctor 2014AnaamikaDCP Ravi ChandraBilingual film2016GentlemanDavidTerrorDCP V. RathodZindagiInterrogating cop2018Aravinda Sametha Veera RaghavaTimma ReddyIdam JagathPolice Commissioner Vikram Simha2019EvaruBanerjeeGeorge ReddyMinister RamayyaMeeku Maathrame ChepthaUncleDorasaaniRaja ReddyBoyNagendra2020VSaadik HaasanIIT KrishnamurthyACP Vinay Varma2021Zombie ReddyBhooma ReddyNaandhiNagendraAakashavaaniDoraDrushyam 2CI J. Prathap 2023Waltair VeerayyaPolice SPMeterDGP Dileep RaavathMusic SchoolGovind Rao Bhaskar Rao KulkarniAlso co-wrote dialogue and casting directorAadikeshavaVijay Mohan2024Dhoom DhaamNarendra Bhoopathi2025Kama and the Digital Sutras SuryamArtisteRavindraVrusshabhaPrakash Partially reshot in Malayalam
Hindi films Year Title Role Notes1999Tu Hi Meri GangaLoknath200216 DecemberHome Minister Shiv Charan Shukla2004RudrakshMantrik2008MukhbiirIsmail2010Knock OutPolice Commissioner2011Laadli Laila (Virgin Goat)Butcher2014Yeh Hai BakrapurSinghaniaBobby JasoosTasawwur's father2022JerseyMajor Krishna Rao2023Music SchoolGovind Rao Bhaskar Rao KulkarniAlso co-wrote dialogue and casting director2024Fighter Debyajyoti Biswas "Debu"
Other language films Year Title Role Language Notes2002BeeperTiger English2014Nee Enge En AnbeCI Ravi ChandraTamil Bilingual film2025TestDharmesh Agarwal
Web series Year Title Role Platform Language 2022Qubool Hai?Rafique PehelwanahaHyderabadi & Telugu2021GameRanaHotstarTelugu2020A Simple MurderPran DawasSony LivHindi2019Sacred GamesNational Security AdvisorNetflixHindi
Television Name Language Role Notes Bala Urdu Muazzam, the lecherous son of Aurangazeb DD National. Daanav Hunters Hindi Lankeshwar Epic Channel Dayasagar Hindi Judas Iscariot DD National Dharti Bane Phulwari Hindi DD National Ek Kahani (Atmahatya) Ek Kahani (Narsayya ki Baodi) Hindi Chiranjeevi & bank loan broker respectively Two Seasons - 1985 & 1989. On DD National. Main Phir Janma Hoon Hindi Barabbas Telefilm. DD National. Madhavi Telugu Jaswant Rao, antagonist DD National Manushulu – Mamathalu Telugu Protagonist DD National Naghme ka Safar Hindi Doctor DD National Peter the Second Hindi Antagonist Telefilm. DD National. Shraddha Hindi Played a writer, husband of Rama Vij DD National. Also wrote dialogues for all the episodes.
Theatre Latest Year of Performance Play Language Actor/Director Notes2025Passwala HindiActor/DirectorRepresentation of Jayant Pawar’s conversation with a crematorium keeper2025Maha PeriyavaTeluguDirectorWriter Hindu Ganesan. Episodes from the life of 68th Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham - Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati VIII, also known as Periyava.2025Ek Se Badhkar EkHindiActorAdapted from Sankaramanchi Parthasarathy's Abbey Em Ledu2024Ismat - Ek AuratUrdu/HindiDirectorA collection of three short stories by Ismat Chughtai. Staged 15 shows so far.2024PasswalaMarathiDirectorRepresentation of Jayant Pawar’s conversation with a crematorium keeper2023Dushala HindiDirectorWriter Pritham K. Chakravarthy2023RaktbeejHindiActor/DirectorWriter Dr. Shanker Shesh2023Jugger'Naatu'kamTeluguDirectorWriter Srikant Sinker2023Weekend HindiDirectorWriter Nirmal Verma2022Dhuli Kanya Dushala BengaliDirectorWriter Pritham K. Chakravarthy2022Main Rahi Masoom Hindi/UrduActorBased on the life of Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza. Staged 65 shows so far.2022Aadhi Raat Ke Baad HindiDirectorWriter Dr. Shanker Shesh2021Abbey! Em Ledu TeluguDirectorWriter Sankaramanchi Parthasarathy2019OleannaEnglishActorWriter David Mamet2019Andhere Mein HindiActor/DirectorPartap Sehgal’s Indian adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s “Black Comedy”. Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India. 2019White Rabbit Red RabbitHindiActorWriter Nassim Soleimanpour2017Sita Apaharan CaseHindiActor/DirectorWriter Dr. Prem Janmejay2017Mah Laqa Bai ChandaUrdu/HindiDirectorWriter Dr. Oudhesh Rani Bawa2017Bitter Chocolate Hindi/English/Hyderabadi Actor/DirectorBased on Pinki Virani's book 'Bitter Chocolate' 2017Siyaah HaashiyeUrduActor/DirectorBased on a collection of 40 short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto. Staged 13 shows so far.2017Kanjoos Makkhi Choose Deccani/HyderabadiActor/DirectorAdaptation of Molière's The Miser2017Jaal – Dramatised play readingHindiActor/DirectorWriter Annie Zaidi (writer)2016Maryada (a collection of two short plays: Touch & Sita Shoorpnakha)HindiCo-directorWriter Shivani Tibrewala2016Kisi Aur ka SapnaHindiDirectorWriter Nand Kishore Acharya 2016PushpHindiActorHindi translation of Girish Karnad's play, Flower.2015Agnes of GodHindi/EnglishDirectorWriter John Pielmeier2015Out at SeaHindiActor/DirectorWriter Slawomir Mrozek2014Post MortemHindiDirectorWriter Milind Tikhe2014Aamne - SaamneHindiActor/DirectorA collage of two short plays - "The Stronger" by August Strindberg, "Maranoparant" by Surendra Verma2014Birjees Qadar ka KumbaHindustaniDirectorAn adaptation of Federico Garcia Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba. Adapted and translated by Dr Raghuvir Sahay. 2014NatasamratHindiActorWriter Kusumagraj 2012Gadha Ya AadmiHindiVoice-overLeather puppetry show 2012Jungle BookEnglishActorDirected by Vaishali Bisht2011Godse – An Assassin SpeaksHindi/EnglishActor/Co-DirectorNathuram Godse’s Monologue2011Isosceles TriangleEnglishActor/DirectorWriter Dr. C.H. Phansalkar2010On VacationEnglishActor/DirectorWriter Sachin Kundalkar2010Voids, S p a c e s & BordersHindiDirectorAn ensemble of 3 short performancesDramatic Space Writer: Theo Lesoualch Kisi Seema Ki Ek Mamooli Si Ghatna, Writer Sagar Sarhadi Avoid the Void, Writer Shivani Tibrewala2009Neem Hakim Khatar e Jaan HindiActor/DirectorAdaptation of Molière’s The Doctor In Spite Of Himself (Le Médecin malgré lui)2009 Four DimensionsHindiActor A collage of four short plays: “Gandhaari”, pieces from Dharamvir Bharati’s “Andha Yug”, Benjamin Franklin’s “The Trial of Polly Baker”, Syed Junaidullah’s “Death of Poem”, Nathuram Godse’s Monologue “An Assassin Speaks” 2008KashmakashA mix of languages: English, Hindi, HyderabadiDirector/ActorAn organic play2007UttararddhaHindiDirectorWriter Vijay Mondkar, translated by Anant Kulkarni2007Shanivaar ke Do BajeHindiActorWriter Surendra Verma2006Goodbye SwamiHindiActorWriter Susheel Kumar Singh2006Atmahatya ki DukaanHindiDirectorWriter Asha Varma2005Kissa Karodimal Ki Laash KaDeccani/HyderabadiDirectorDiwakar Babu’s Telugu play Kundeti Kommu. Adapted and translated by Anant Kulkarni.2005Andhon ka HaathiHindiDirectorWriter Sharad Joshi2005Room No 13 Block No 14HindiActor/DirectorWriter Srikanth Sinkar2004Teen ApahijHindiDirectorWriter Vipin Agarwal2004ChakravyuhaHindiDirectorWriter Rajesh Dhabre2004The PhoenixHindiDirectorWriter Abhijit Sircar2002Inspector Matadeen Chand ParHindiActorWriter Harishankar Parsai2002Hay Mera DilHindiActor/DirectorWriter Ranbir Singh 2002DeathwatchHindiActor2001PrastaavHindiActor/DirectorAnton Chekhov’s “The Proposal” adapted in Hindi by Anant Kulkarni2001Budh Kaam ShudhHindiDirectorWriter I. S. Johar 2001AaropHindiActorWriter Suresh Khare, adapted by Anant Kulkarni2000Saiyan Bhaye KotwalHindi Actor/DirectorAdapted from the popular Marathi play Vichha Majhi Puri Kara by Vasant Sabnis2000Kisi ko toh Jaana HogaHindiActor/DirectorBased on Subhash Parkhi's Marathi play Kalpana, translated in Hindi by Anant Kulkarni 2000Gandhi AmbedkarHindiActor/Co-DirectorWriter Dr. Premanand Gajvi 1999Raja ka BaajaHindiActor/Director First workshop production. Writer Safdar Hashmi. 1996Kaath ka GhodaHindiActorWriter Manoranjan Das 1995Ballabhpur ki RoopkathaHindiActor/DirectorWriter Badal Sarkar 1993PhandiHindiActor/DirectorWriter Dr. Shanker Shesh 1988Langda GhodaHindiActorWriter Kadir Zaman 1988Stronger Than SupermanHindiActorWritten by Roy Kift, adapted by Anant Kulkarni 1987Guddi Pappu aur MunnaHindiActorBased on Volker Ludwig’s Max und Milli, adapted by Anant Kulkarni 1986Aage Daudo Peeche ChhodoHindiActorBased on Baban Prabhu’s Marathi play, adapted by Anant Kulkarni 1985Krapp ke Antim ShabdHindiActorBased on Samuel Beckett’s "Krapp's Last Tapes", translated by Vijay Ahluwalia 1983FiveEnglishActorWriter Shreekumar Varma 1982Tambe ke KeedeHindiActorWriter Bhuvaneshwar Prasad 1982Aage Aage Premchand, Peeche Peeche HumHindiActorWriter Venugopal 1981MahatmaHindiActorWritten and directed by Lingam Pandu Pradeep 1981CyclewaalaHindiActorWriter Venugopal 1981InterviewHindiActorWritten and directed by Dr. D.K. Goel 1980Brecht ke Laghu NatakHindiActorAdapted from Bertolt Brecht's short plays1980Coffee House Mein IntezaarHindiActorWriter Dr. Laxminarayan Lal. Varma's first play as an actor.
References
External links
Personal website