With the massive success of his latest outing, Matka King (released April 17, 2026), Varma has once again proven that the most terrifying monsters don't wear masks—they wear the face of the common man.
The Anatomy of an "Everyman" Villain
Vijay Varma's approach to villainy is rooted in a chilling realism that hits closer to home than any CGI monster ever could:
The "Ordinary" Mask: Whether it was the abusive husband Hamza in Darlings or the polite, kind professor/serial killer Anand Swarnakar in Dahaad, Varma’s characters are terrifying because they balance a mundane 9-to-5 life with a "soulless" interior.
Status Anxiety: In his interview with Suchin Mehrotra earlier this week, Varma noted that many of his characters are fueled by the "frustration of being small." In Matka King, his character Brij Bhatti captures this by asking, "Why am I not allowed to dream big?"
The Fragile Masculinity: His roles often explore the "pressure cooker" of societal expectations. When a man feels he has no control in the world outside, he exerts a violent, dark control within his domestic or secret life.
'Matka King': The Pivot to the "Honest Gambler"
While Varma has mastered the "monster," his role in Nagraj Manjule’s Matka King offers a refreshing twist on the antagonist archetype:
The Character: Brij Bhatti is a fictitious folk hero in 1960s Bombay who democratizes the gambling world.
The Dichotomy: Varma portrays him with "sincerity and integrity," making the audience root for a lawbreaker. It's a role that Aamir Khan recently praised, saying he would have "loved to play" the character of Ratan Khatri himself.
The Performance: Critics have noted that in Matka King, Varma resembles a modern-day Amol Palekar—dangerously persuasive yet occasionally vulnerable.
Vijay Varma’s "Chilling" Hall of Fame
Role Project Why it’s Chilling Hamza Darlings The "ordinary" husband who uses his job stress to justify domestic horror. Anand Swarnakar Dahaad A polite professor who lures women with kindness while being utterly soulless. Tyagi Twins Mirzapur The cold, calculating nature of "middle-class aspiration" turned lethal. Brij Bhatti Matka King Redefines the "bad guy" as a Robin Hood figure fighting for dignity.
"I Connect with Broken Parts"
In a recent conversation with Puja Talwar (April 19, 2026), Varma unpacked his fascination with the flawed:
"I find it delightful to look at the broken parts of people and know them through those broken parts... My ability to connect with characters comes through their conflicts—their shortcomings, insecurities, and the morality they struggle with."
Despite his success as a villain, Varma is actively avoiding "repetition." He recently revealed he has turned down multiple serial killer roles post-Dahaad to avoid being pigeonholed, choosing instead to focus on "unhurried love" stories like Gustaakh Ishq and upcoming family dramas.
SantaBanta Verdict:
Vijay Varma has effectively moved the Bollywood antagonist away from Gabbar Singh and Mogambo into something much more discomforting. He reminds us that evil isn't an "outsider"; it's a byproduct of our own societal pressures and failures. By making the common man the scariest thing on screen, Varma hasn't just redefined villainy—he’s held a mirror up to the quiet desperation of the modern middle class.
