# Vinay Varma

Vinay Varma is an Indian actor, script writer, and casting director who primarily works in Telugu and Hindi-language films.

## Career

Vinay Varma, founder of Sutradhar, started out as an amateur theatre practitioner. He has been involved with theatre for more than 40 years. He has also been a part of more than 40 feature films in Telugu and Hindi, in addition to one Hollywood film.
He started his theater career with the play Coffee House Mein Intezar written by Dr. Laxminarayan Lal. Varma left his banking job to pursue acting.
He has directed over 45 plays and has acted in more than 50 with over 200 shows across India and abroad. Some of his 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.
As a Theatre Director, some of his well-known plays are:
* John Pielmeier's Agnes of God.
* Dr. C.H. Phansalkar's Isosceles Triangle.
* Birjees Qadar Ka Kunba, an Urdu adaptation of The House of Bernarda Alba.
* Pinki Virani's Bitter Chocolate.
* Badal Sarkar's Ballabhpur ki Roopkatha
* Dr. Shanker Shesh's Raktbeej.
* Dr. Shanker Shesh's Phandi.
* Dr. Prem Janmejai's Sita Apaharan Case.
* Sagar Sarhadi's Kisi Seema Ki Ek Mamooli Si Ghatna.
* Surendra Verma's Maranoparant.
* Neem Hakim Khatar e Jaan, a Hyderabadi adaptation of Le Médecin malgré lui.
* Saadat Hasan Manto's Siyaah Haashiye (co-directed with Deepti Girotra).
* Ismat Chughtai's Ismat – Ek Aurat.
* Gandhi Ambedkar and Main Nathuram Godse (co-directed with Prof. Bhasker Shewalker)
* Mah Laqa Bai Chanda, based on the life of Mah Laqa Bai, an 18th-century Urdu poet and the first woman to have a diwan (anthology) of her work.
* Kanjoos Makkhi Choose, a Hyderabadi adaptation of The Miser.
* Nirmal Verma's Weekend.
* Dushala

## Workshops

Varma has been conducting Acting, Voice, and Body Language Workshops at Sutradhar since 1999, and has identified and trained more than a hundred 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.

## Theatre

| | Play | Language | Actor/Director | Notes |
| 1 | Aarop | Hindi | Actor | Written by Suresh Khare, adapted by Anant Kulkarni |
| 2 | Bitter Chocolate | Hindi/English/Hyderabadi | Actor/Director | Based on Pinki Virani's book 'Bitter Chocolate' |
| 3 | Bus Stop | Marathi | Actor | A workshop production |
| 4 | Deathwatch | Hindi | Actor | |
| 5 | Four Dimensions | Hindi/English | Actor/Director | A collage of 4 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' |
| 6 | Gadha Ya Aadmi | Hindi | | Voice-over for a leather puppetry show |
| 7 | Gandhi Ambedkar | Hindi | Actor/Co-Director | Written by Dr. Premanand Gajvi |
| 8 | Godse – An Assassin speaks | Hindi/English | Actor/Co-Director | Nathuram Godse’s Monologue |
| 9 | Good Bye Swami | Hindi | Actor | Written by Susheel Kumar Singh. Joint direction with Prof. Bhasker Shewalkar. |
| 10 | Inspector Matadeen Chand Par | Hindi | Actor | Written by Harishankar Parsai. Joint direction with Prof. Bhasker Shewalkar. |
| 11 | Isosceles Triangle | English | Actor/Director | Written by Dr. C.H. Phansalkar |
| 12 | Jaal – Dramatised play reading | Hindi | Actor/Director | Written by Annie Zaidi (writer) |
| 13 | Kissa Karodimal Ki Laash Ka | Deccani/Hyderabadi | Actor/Director | Diwakar Babu’s Telugu play “Kundeti Kommu" adapted and translated by Anant Kulkarni |
| 14 | Kanjoos Makkhi Choose | Deccani/Hyderabadi | Actor/Director | Adaptation of Molière's The Miser |
| 15 | Main Nathuram Godse | Hindi | Actor/Co-Director | Pradeep Dalvi’s Marathi play “Mee Nathuram Godse Boltoy” translated in Hindi by Shanta Kulkarni |
| 16 | Main Rahi Masoom | Hindi/Urdu | Actor | Based on the life of Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza |
| 17 | Maranoparant | Hindi | Actor/Director | Written by Surendra Verma |
| 18 | Natasamrat | Hindi | Actor | Written by Vishnu Vaman Shirwadkar Kusumagraj |
| 19 | Neem Hakim Khatar e Jaan | Hindi | Actor/Director | An adaptation of Molière’s “Physician In Spite Of Himself” Le Médecin malgré lui |
| 20 | Oleanna | English | Actor | Written by David Mamet |
| 21 | On Vacation | English | Actor/Director | Written by Sachin Kundalkar |
| 22 | Pushp | Hindi | Actor | Directed by Dr. Rammohan Holagundi for NishumbitaTheatre Festival |
| 23 | Raktbeej | Hindi | Actor/Director | Written by Dr. Shanker Shesh |
| 24 | Room No 13 Block No 14 | Hindi | Actor | Written by Srikanth Sinkar |
| 25 | Saiyyan Bhaye Kotwal | Hindi | Actor/Director | Vasant Sabnis famous Marathi folk play "Vichha Majhi Poori Kara”, translated by Usha Banerjee |
| 26 | Shanivaar ke 2 Baje | Hindi | Actor | Written by Surendra Verma |
| 27 | Sita Apaharan Case | Hindi | Actor/Director | Written by Dr. Prem Janmejay |
| 28 | Siyaah Haashiye | Urdu | Actor/Director | Based on a collection of 40 short stories by Saadat Hasan Manto |
| 29 | Stronger Than Superman | Hindi | Actor | Written by Roy Kift, adapted by Anant Kulkarni |
| 30 | The Stronger | Hindi/English | Director | Written by August Strindberg |
| 31 | Voids, Spaces & Borders | Hindi/English | Actor/Director | A collection of 3 short performances. Theo Lesoualch’s ‘Dramatic Space’, Sagar Sarhadi’s 'Kisi Seema ki Ek Mamooli si Ghatna', Shivani Tibrewala’s 'Avoid the Void' |
| 32 | Andhere Mein | Hindi | Actor/Director | Partap Sehgal’s Indian adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s “Black Comedy”. Sponsored by Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. |
| 33 | Weekend | Hindi | Director | Written by Nirmal Verma |
| 34 | Abbey! Em Ledhu | Telugu | Director | Written by Sankaramanchi Parthasarathy |
| 35 | Aadhi Raat Ke Baad | Hindi | Director | Written by Dr.Shanker Shesh |
| 36 | Dushala | Hindi/Bengali | Director | Written by Pritham K. Chakravarthy |
| 37 | Passwala | Marathi | Director | Representation of Jayant Pawar’s conversation with a crematorium keeper |
| 38 | Ek Se Badhkar Ek | Hindi | Actor | Adapted from Sankaramanchi Parthasarathy "Abbey Em Ledhu" |
| 39 | Five | English | Actor | Written by Shreekumar Varma and directed by Ajit Chitturi for Thespian en, Chennai – 2017) |
| 40 | Jungle Book | English | Actor | Directed by Vaishali Bisht for Children’s Theatre and Film Festival |
| 41 | Prastaav | Hindi | Actor/Director | Anton Chekhov’s “The Proposal” adapted in Hindi by Anant Kulkarni |
| 42 | Krapp ke Antim Shabd | Hindi | Actor | Based on Samuel Beckett's "Krapp's Last Tapes" - a 70-minute monologue translated by Vijay Ahluwalia |
| 43 | Aage Daudo | Hindi | Actor | Based on Baban Prabhu’s Marathi play “Pala Pala Kon Pudhe Pale To” adapted in Hindi by Anant Kulkarni |
| 44 | Guddi Pappu aur Munna | Hindi | Actor | Based on Volker Ludwig’s German Play “Max und Milli” adapted by Anant Kulkarni |
| 45 | Langda Ghoda | Hindi | Actor | Written by Kadir Zaman |
| 46 | Kaath ka Goda | Hindi | Actor | Written by Manoranjan Das |
| 47 | White Rabbit Red Rabbit | Hindi | Actor | Written by Nassim Soleimanpour. An experimental play with no director, no rehearsal, just one actor who is handed the script on stage in front of the audience |
| 48 | Flowers | Hindi | Actor | Written by Girish Karnad. Directed by Dr. Ram Mohan Holagundi |
| 49 | Uttaraardh | Marathi/Hindi | Director | Written by Vijay Mondke. Translated by Anant Kulkarni. |
| 50 | Phandi | Hindi | Actor/Director | Directed for Rangadhara - The Theatre Stream. Written by Dr. Shanker Shesh. |
| 51 | Ballabhpur ki Roopkatha | Hindi | Actor/Director | Directed for Rangadhara - The Theatre Stream. Written by Badal Sarkar. |
| 52 | Kisi ko toh Jaana Hoga | Hindi | Actor/Director | Based on Subhash Parkhi’s Marathi play “Kalpana” translated in Hindi by Anant Kulkarni |
| 53 | Raja ka Baaja | Hindi | Actor/Director | Written by Safdar Hashmi. |
| 54 | Budh Kaam Shudh | Hindi | Director | Written by I. S. Johar. |
| 55 | Hay Mera Dil | Hindi | Director | Written by Ranbir Singh. |
| 56 | Kisi Aur ka Sapna | Hindi | Director | Written by Nand Kishore Acharya. Joint direction with Prof. Bhasker Shewalkar. |
| 57 | Atmahatya ki Dukaan | Hindi | Director | Written by Asha Varma. |
| 58 | Birjees Qadar ka Kunba | Urdu/Hindi | Director | An adaption of Federico Garcia Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba. Adapted and translated by Dr.Raghuvir Sahay |
| 59 | Ismat - Ek Aurat | Urdu/Hindi | Director | A collection of three short stories by Ismat Chughtai. |
| 60 | Mah Laqa Bai Chanda | Urdu/Hindi | Director | Written by Dr. Oudhesh Rani Bawa. |
| 61 | Aamne - Saamne | Hindi | Actor/Director | Based on two short plays - "The Stronger" by August Strindberg, and "Maranoparant" by Surendra Verma |
| 62 | Post Mortem | Hindi | Director | Written by Milind Tikhe |
| 63 | Out at Sea | Hindi | Actor/Director | Written by Slawomir Mrozek |
| 64 | Agnes of God | Hindi/English | Director | Written by John Pielmeier |
| 65 | Sita Soorpanakha | Hindi | Director | Written by Shivani Tibrewala |
| 66 | Touch | Hindi | Director | Written by Smita Nirula |
| 67 | Teen Apahij | Hindi | Director | Written by Vipin Agarwal. Joint direction with Prof. Bhasker Shewalkar. |
| 68 | The Phoenix | Hindi | Director | Written by Abhijit Sircar. Joint direction with Prof. Bhasker Shewalkar. |
| 69 | Andhon ka Haathi | Hindi | Director | Written by Sharad Joshi. Joint direction with Prof. Bhasker Shewalkar. |
| 70 | Interview | Hindi | Actor | Written and directed by Dr. D. K. Goel. |
| 71 | Mahatma | Hindi | Actor | Written and directed by Lingam Pandu Pradeep. |
| 72 | Tambe ke Keede | Hindi | Actor | Written by Bhuvaneshwar Prasad and directed by Venugopal. |
| 73 | Aage Aage Premchand, Peeche Peeche Hum | Hindi | Actor | As part of the centenary celebrations for Munshi Premchand. Directed by Venugopal. |
| 74 | Cyclewalla | Hindi | Actor | Directed by Venugopal. |
| 75 | Brecht ke Laghu Natak | Hindi | Actor | Adapted from Bertolt Brecht's short plays. Directed by Venugopal. |
| 76 | Coffee House Mein Intezaar | Hindi | Actor | Directed by Dr. D.K.Goel. |
| 77 | 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. |

## Filmography
### Telugu films

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Love | Pakistani terrorist | |
| 2002 | Nee Thodu Kavali | Manasa's father | |
| 2004 | Tapana | Siddhu's father | |
| 2005 | Danger | Tantrik | |
| 2006 | Veedhi | Sivanna | |
| 2009 | Ninnu Kalisaka | Father of heroine | |
| 2012 | Nippu | Police Commissioner of Dubai | |
| 2012 | Ko Antey Koti | Inspector Ranjit Kumar | |
| 2012 | Dream | Doctor | |
| 2014 | Anaamika | DCP Ravi Chandra | |
| 2016 | Gentleman | David | |
| 2016 | Terror | DCP V. Rathod | |
| 2016 | Zindagi | | |
| 2018 | Aravinda Sametha Veera Raghava | Timma Reddy | |
| 2018 | Idam Jagath | Police Commissioner Vikram Simha | |
| 2019 | Evaru | Banerjee | |
| 2019 | George Reddy | Minister Ramayya | |
| 2019 | Meeku Maathrame Cheptha | Uncle | |
| 2019 | Dorasaani | Raja Reddy | |
| 2019 | Boy | | |
| 2020 | V | Saadik Haasan | |
| 2020 | IIT Krishnamurthy | ACP Vinay Varma | |
| 2021 | Zombie Reddy | Bhooma Reddy | |
| 2021 | Naandhi | Nagendra | |
| 2021 | Aakashavaani | Dora | |
| 2021 | Drushyam 2 | CI J. Prathap | |
| 2023 | Waltair Veerayya | Police SP | |
| 2023 | Meter | DGP Dileep Raavath | |
| 2023 | Music School | Govind Rao Bhaskar Rao Kulkarni | Also co-wrote dialogue and casting director |
| 2023 | Aadikeshava | Vijay Mohan | |
| 2024 | Dhoom Dhaam | Narendra Bhoopathi | |
| 2025 | Artiste | Ravindra, a lecherous debtor (heroine’s father) | |

### Hindi films

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | Tu Hi Meri Ganga | Loknath | |
| 2002 | 16 December | Home Minister Shiv Charan Shukla | |
| 2004 | Rudraksh | Mantrik | |
| 2008 | Mukhbiir | Ismail | |
| 2010 | Knock Out | Police Commissioner | |
| 2011 | Laadli Laila (Virgin Goat) | Butcher | |
| 2014 | Yeh Hai Bakrapur | Singhania | |
| 2014 | Bobby Jasoos | Tasawwur's father | |
| 2022 | Jersey | Major Krishna Rao | |
| 2023 | Music School | Govind Rao Bhaskar Rao Kulkarni | Also co-wrote dialogue and casting director |
| 2024 | Fighter | Debyajyoti Biswas "Debu" | |
| 2025 | Jaat | S P Vivek Kumar | |

### Tamil film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2025 | Test | Dharmesh Agarwal (a money lender jeweller cum cricket bookie) | Netflix direct release |

### English film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Beeper | Tiger | A Hollywood production |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Platform | Language |
| 2019 | Sacred Games | NSA | Netflix | Hindi |
| 2020 | A Simple Murder | Politician Pran Dawas | Sony Liv | Hindi |
| 2021 | Game | Organ racketeer | Hotstar | Telugu |
| 2022 | Qubool Hai? | Rafique Pehelwan | aha | Hyderabadi, Telugu |

## Television

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

### Dubbing artist

* Rahul Dev - Akasa Veedhilo
* Tinu Anand - Anji
* Nassar - Okkadunnadu
* Panchatantra Stories on CVS
* Raj Arjun - Dear Comrade
* Ilavarasu - Donga