Vijay Varma recalls inappropriate behaviour by modelling coordinator: 'He got touchy-feely...'

Vijay Varma has opened up about an unsettling experience from the early days of his career, revealing that he encountered inappropriate behaviour while briefly working as a model before finding his footing as an actor. The 'Darlings' and 'Gully Boy' star said the incident initially left him disheartened, but it also convinced him to focus entirely on acting. 

Speaking during a conversation with YouTuber Prakhar Gupta, Vijay reflected on the challenges he faced long before becoming one of Hindi cinema's most acclaimed performers. Along with recalling the alleged casting couch experience, he also spoke about repeated rejections that tested his determination before he eventually secured admission to the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

An uncomfortable start in modelling

Before pursuing acting professionally, Vijay said he tried his luck in amateur modelling assignments in Hyderabad. It was during that phase that he had an unpleasant encounter with a modelling coordinator, an experience that almost made him reconsider his career path.

Recalling the incident, he said, “I tried modelling in Hyderabad, just small-time, amateur-level work. But I came across this weird model coordinator. He started to misbehave with me a little bit, like just trying to get a little touchy-feely. I said, ‘Bro, what is this? What are you doing?’ So I got discouraged immediately. You get discouraged very quickly when you’re still inexperienced. Then I thought, I think I should address it head-on. If acting is what I want to do, then I have to do it.”

Rather than continuing in modelling, Vijay decided to pursue acting seriously, believing it was the career he truly wanted.

Rejections before finding success

His decision to become an actor did not immediately open doors. Vijay revealed that he first approached Hyderabad's Sutradhar School of Acting, hoping to receive formal training, but his application was turned down.

Sharing the experience, he said, “So I went to a theatre school in Hyderabad called Sutradhar School of Acting. I told them, ‘I want to learn acting.’ But they turned me away. They said, ‘It requires commitment, it requires dedication. This isn’t something you’ll do for two days and then leave.’ I thought, they’re not even giving me a chance.”

The setbacks continued when he applied to FTII for its acting programme but failed to secure a place on his first attempt.

He recalled, “Then I applied to FTII. I found out they had a two-year acting course. I applied, made it to the final round, and got rejected. And for the first time, I realised that your dreams aren’t entirely in your hands. It’s not like you want something and you automatically get it. You don’t.”

Looking back on that phase of his life, Vijay said the rejection changed his perspective on ambition and success.

“When you’re growing up, you’re entitled in a way. Your parents are there, your family is there, everything is taken care of. You get what you want. Eventually, you get what you want. But then you realize that in the outside world, it’s not easy to get what you want, whether it’s getting a seat in a college or getting to do what you feel like doing.”

Vijay later reapplied to FTII and was accepted into the acting course, where he trained alongside future actors Rajkummar Rao and Jaideep Ahlawat.

From struggle to acclaimed performances

After overcoming years of setbacks, Vijay established himself as one of the industry's most versatile actors. His performances in projects such as 'Gully Boy', 'Dahaad' and 'Darlings' earned widespread acclaim, with the actor becoming known for taking on complex and unconventional roles.

He was most recently seen in the web series 'Matka King', which follows the rise of a cotton trader who builds a gambling empire by creating the Matka betting game. Before that, he appeared in Vibhu Puri's 'Gustaakh Ishq', co-starring Naseeruddin Shah, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sharib Hashmi. The film also marked fashion designer Manish Malhotra's debut as a producer.