Vijay Varma shared details of an uncomfortable casting couch encounter during an amateur modelling stint in Hyderabad.
The incident prompted Varma to quit modelling immediately and address his acting ambitions head-on.
The actor faced initial rejection from the Sutradhar School of Acting in Hyderabad. He was also initially rejected by the Film and Television Institute of India but secured admission on his second attempt.
Vijay Varma Reveals Early Casting Couch Experience: ‘Model Coordinator Was Getting Touchy-Feely’
Vijay Varma opened up about his early casting couch experience during a Hyderabad modelling stint and his struggles with rejections from acting schools.
Summary
Actor Vijay Varma, who has made a name for himself in the Hindi film industry with roles in Gully Boy, Dahaad and Darlings, opened up about his early casting couch experience. The incident occurred during his modelling days in Hyderabad.
Vijay Varma on early struggles in modelling and casting couch
During an interview on Prakhar Gupta's YouTube channel, Varma revealed that he decided to leave modelling and focus on his acting ambitions after being discouraged by the coordinator's behaviour. He shared the uncomfortable ordeal in detail.
"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," Varma said.
Rejection from acting schools
The actor faced immediate obstacles when he shifted his focus. Varma was rejected by the Sutradhar School of Acting in Hyderabad.
"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," he said.
Varma was initially rejected by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). He eventually secured admission to FTII on his second attempt, studying alongside actors Rajkummar Rao and Jaideep Ahlawat.
Varma's work front
Varma starred in Vibhu Puri's Gustaakh Ishq alongside Naseeruddin Shah, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sharib Hashmi.
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After that, he was seen in the web series Matka King. Next, he has Family Business, co-starring Anil Kapoor. He also has Antony and Lust Stories 3 in his kitty.
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