Vijay Varma plays a cop in Kaalkoot. The web series also stars Shweta Tripathi Sharma and will premiere on a digital platform on July 27. The Free Press Journal caught up the actor for an exclusive chat. Excerpts:
How does it feel to play a cop after playing a series of negative roles in the recent past?
It feels so good to be on this side to be honest. The teaser is not half as good as the show, there’s a lot more to it. I am glad it is being well received. I am extremely passionate about the show. This is probably one of those shows that I did for my heart. The kind of study it did through the events shown in the show is phenomenal.
A male actor like you, who has a huge female following, has done a certain kind of roles so far. How do you react when girls find your personality eerie?
I don’t know if I have an eerie personality (laughs). I feel the work I do and the roles I did on screen are very strong. Personally, I feel very victorious and it’s like my job is done right. It’s a good sign if people are scared of me. But, when I play a cop, who is empathetic, I am curious to see what impact it generates. I am also in a learning phase.
Go on…
Personally, if anyone walks up to me and tells me that he/she hated me in the show, I take it as a compliment and it feels like an achievement. I am lucky that my producers are getting their monies back. I am always waiting to surprise.
Gully Boy turned tables for you but do you still feel that OTT is a saving grace for you?
I think it’s a boon for everyone, not only for the actors. It is the greatest time for all of us. When I passed out from FTII in 2009-10, there were only theatres and television shows. During the pandemic, I had seven releases. I realised that my work reached a much wider audience. I just wanted to be seen without knowing who’s watching me.
Is it challenging for you to pick your roles wisely?
I have to be moved by the material that I have been offered. I need to be interested in the story while turning the pages to begin with. I have to be aligned with the story the writer is trying to tell, be it domestic violence in Darlings or systematic failure of how crimes are conducted in Dahaad. In Kaalkoot, I play a new joinee in the police force. The character is humanised in the show and that’s what got me hooked on to it.
Looks like your personal life is blossoming too like your career at the moment?
I am all smiling and enjoying this phase in my life right now. Tamannaah’s (Bhatia) reels are fetching more numbers than her films.
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