Vinay Varma is an Indian actor, script writer, and casting director who primarily works in Telugu and Hindi films.
Career
Vinay Varma, founder of Sutradhar started out as an amateur theatre practitioner. He has been involved with theatre for more than thirty years. He's also been a part of more than 15 feature films in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and a Hollywood film.
He started his theater career with the play Coffee House Mein Intezar written by Dr. Laxminarayan Lal, on 14 September 1980. was directed by Dr. D.K. Goel. Varma left his lucrative Bank Officer job to pursue his passion. He believes,"one life one passion".
He has directed over 30 plays and acted in more than 50 plays with over 200 shows across India and abroad. Some of his performances are in 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 which is based on the life and times 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.
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.
Voice work
Varma had lent his voice in Urdu, English, and Hindi, for various Ad-Films, Documentaries, Corporate Films, and Educational Films. He also dubs for Telugu films. He has dubbed for Rahul Dev in Telugu film Akasa Veedhilo, for Paresh Rawal in Mechanic Mavayya, for Tinnu Anand in Telugu film Anji (film), for Nassar (actor) in Okkadunnadu, for the main villain in Vijay Devarakonda starrer Dear Comrade, for Tamil actor Ilavarasu in Donga (Telugu version of Karthi starrer Thambi (2019 film)), and for many other interesting characters.
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. Some well-known faces trained by him are Vijay Varma, Sree Vishnu, Aditi Sharma (Ahana of Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki), and Vijay Deverakonda.
