Vinay Varma
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 notable films include Fighter (2024 film) and Test (2025 film). 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 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, Vijay Deverakonda, Anand Deverakonda, and Aberaam Varma.