'They had locked me for Sacred Games but Anurag Kashyap threw me out'

Picture Courtesy: Official Instagram Account/Vijay Varma

Vijay Varma happens to be one of the most dependable actors in the Hindi film industry right now. With the dual critical and commercial successes of Pink and Gully Boy, the man has marked his arrival in Bollywood. This year, he has had Bamfaad and Baaghi 3. And he's also collaborating with Ira Khan and Gulshan Devaiah for a project.

In an interview with Anjali Singh of mid-day.com, the actor spoke about his success and also revealed how he was supposed to be an integral part of Sacred Games and how Anurag Kashyap changed his mind last minute.

Watch the full interview right here:

Speaking about Pink, the courtroom drama that came out in 2016, he stated, "Pink was a sleeper hit, nobody saw it coming. Even the filmmakers were happy and surprised by what it did, especially by breaking it into the culture. So, personally, I was satisfied and it made me feel content about my journey and the outcome of it."

He added, "But I still don't see myself at a place where I'm given the same importance that I think I deserve. So that is still going to be an uphill task. But I'm willing to put in the hard work and do whatever it takes. We are doing a job where it means high risk, high return, therefore very few people make it. So sometimes I'm glad I'm just working."

Bollywood is always looked at as a place where the right talent is not backed properly or where there's hardly any place for talent. It seems to be a lot more difficult for the outsiders to be accepted in the industry. What does he have to say about this?

He stated, "I think with my success, a lot of healing work has happened. I'd be wrong if I say I didn't feel angry and frustrated at one point in life when I didn't get the success and recognition that I felt I deserved. So with success, a lot of 'Marham Patti' has happened so I'm in a more content space."

He added, "But it is going to be difficult for you. Say you go to a new city, nobody's going to know you there, you've to create your own existence. When I first came to Bombay, I had to create my own existence. I was ready to put everything I had and everything that was required of me."

Ask him about the filmmakers he wishes to work with, he says, "Sanjay Leela Bhansali, whose work I find mesmerising, Vikramaditya Motwane, who always manages to hit me in the gut."

Varma then revealed how he lost out on Sacred Games. He said, "They had locked me for one of the parts, one of the significant parts, and Netflix and Mukesh (Chhabra), and everyone had zeroed in, but Anurag (Kashyap, co-director) changed his mind last minute and he threw me out."

That's not all, he was also in the running for Rajkumar Hirani's 3 idiots. He said, "One of the earlier, first rejections I faced in Mumbai long back was when they were trying to make 3 idiots with new boys. I met Hirani saab, but then... it was no longer a film with new boys."

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