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‘Imtiaz Ali is incredibly generous and gentle’
Vijay Varma feels that apart from being a great storyteller, Imtiaz Ali is a great listener, too
Vijay Varma, who was recently seen in She, a crime-based web show created by Imtiaz Ali, is on cloud nine with the feedback that he has been receiving for his portrayal of a narcotics dealer in the show. He says with a laugh, “After watching She, lots of people are writing to me asking, ‘Will you be my quarantine?’” He adds, “Working on it has been such a valuable experience and I’m overwhelmed with the way people have loved Sasya. I’m happy to see that both the critics and the audiences have liked the character and are now thinking of me as a breakout star. I am full of gratitude.”
Talking about his collaboration with Ali, the Gully Boy (2019) actor says, “Imtiaz sir is incredibly generous and gentle. He was a close part of the workshops and helped us in reaching the truth of the characters. He indulges you when you jam with him and that’s what sets him apart. Apart from being a great storyteller, he’s a great listener.”
Was it challenging adapting to his style of work? “Not at all,” Varma says, adding, “His style makes you more and more comfortable. He nudges you in the right direction and makes you feel like your character is your own discovery. He is special. I am just glad he trusted me with this character.”
He believes that the OTT platforms coming up with some clutter-breaking crime-thriller series, the Indian audience has developed an appetite for the genre. “They are so fascinating. As viewers, people enjoy crime dramas since they leave them really hooked on to complicated twists and characters. Crime dramas are an insight to into the non-ordinary situations and a rare behind the scenes into what goes on in the minds of criminals and cops,” he elaborates.
Varma says that he’s happy to be part of content that’s striking a chord even with the international audience. “Web is the future and the thing that I am enjoying the most is to be part of content which has no boundaries. It’s exciting how you make a show here in India and then people across globe not only enjoy it but also consider it to be a good watch,” says the actor who will soon be seen in Fallen, a thriller series with Sonakshi Sinha.
Last month, he turned 34. Having celebrated a “quiet birthday” in quarantine, he says this period of social distancing has taught him to take his physical health more seriously. He shares, “My resolution for the next year is to just keep the good work on. There is a lot of work which I want to do and tick it of my list. I also want to start working out.”
