Vinay Varma

Vinay Varma, founder of Sutradhar, started out as an amateur theatre practitioner. He has been involved with theatre for more than 40 years. He has also been a part of more than 40 feature films in Hindi and Telugu, in addition to one Hollywood film.

He started his theater career with the play Coffee House Mein Intezar written by Dr. Laxminarayan Lal. Varma left his banking job to pursue acting.

He has directed over 45 plays and has acted in more than 50 with over 200 shows across India and abroad. Some of his performances include 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 is based on the life 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.
• Dushala

Varma has been conducting Acting, Voice, and Body Language Workshops at Sutradhar since 1999, and has identified and trained more than a hundred talents. Actors trained by him include Vijay Varma, Sree Vishnu, Aditi Sharma (Ahana of Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki), Vijay Deverakonda, Anand Deverakonda, and Aberaam Varma.

• Dushala (Director)

Telugu films

Hindi films

• 16 December (2002)
• Rudraksh (2004)
• Mukhbiir (2008)
• Knock Out (2010)
• Yeh Hai Bakrapur (2013)
• Bobby Jasoos (2014)
• Jersey (2022)
• Music School (2023)
• Fighter (2024)

English film

• Beeper (2002)

Web series

• A Simple Murder (2020)
• Sacred Games
• Game (2021)
• Qubool Hai? (2022)

Television

• Peter the 2 (Television film)
• Madhavi
• Daanav Hunters
• Dharti Baney Phulwari
• Naghme ka Safar
• Main Phir Janma Hoon (Television film)
• Bala
• Ek Kahani
• Manushulu-Mamathalu

Dubbing artist

• Tinu Anand - Anji
• Ilavarasu - Donga
• Nassar - Okkadunnadu
• Raj Arjun - Dear Comrade
• Rahul Dev - Akasa Veedhilo
• Panchatantra Stories on CVS