Beyond the Villain: A Face Ready to Shift

Hathya, the critically acclaimed series on Amazon Prime, is drawing high viewership and attention. At its core is Ravi Varma, whose performance stands out. Speaking to The Hans India, he shares, “I just want to keep exploring. I’ve always said that I’m an actor. Give me a taxi driver or a broken man, a powerful professor or a quiet villain, I’ll find a way to live that role.”

Q: How do you see the difference between the supporting characters portrayals from Telugu and other language industries?

Ravi Varma: A director should spend focused time on each character. In any language of cinema, everything should flow from top to bottom. That responsibility matters. For example, when I worked on a Boyapati film, there were over 800 extras on set. Even then, the director gave us clear instructions. He told them, “You’re all actors. If you don’t give your best, the scene won’t work. If you have doubts, ask.” That level of communication is crucial.

Q: So the direction department plays a huge role in executing the vision?

Ravi Varma: Definitely. The main director’s vision has to “download” into every part of the direction department. Once you've done 10 films together, the sync becomes effortless. Even when working on small stories, promising performances become a must. The actors should get the space to explore their acting. That's how each character can be remembered. There’s no room to forget lines or waste time.

Q: After 20 years in the industry, you've finally landed a major central role. Tell us more about that journey.

Ravi Varma: For years, I played supporting characters. Maybe if I had started differently, I would’ve gotten the central roles earlier. But the truth is, nobody gives you a lead role unless they’re confident you can shoulder the weight of the movie. With time, and a variety of characters, people began to trust me. That’s how I got this role in Hatya. It's a proud moment because people questioned whether I could carry a central role… Now they have an answer.

Q: How’s the response been so far?

Ravi Varma: It’s been great. Friends, the audience, even theatre-goers said I did well. Though the character is episodic in the film, there’s a clear graph. It’s not a one-note role. Pulling that off was challenging, but I’m happy I did it. Now people are even talking about “midlife central characters.” That’s a change.

Q: You also mentioned the power of expression through the eyes–can you talk about that?

Ravi Varma: Yes, I believe acting isn’t just about dialogue. When you walk even one metre, your eyes should speak. The emotion has to reflect there. I learnt Kathak for two years–that discipline taught me how even the rest of the body supports what the eyes convey.

Q: You’ve often played intense or even negative roles. Has that affected the kind of offers you receive?

Ravi Varma: Honestly, yes. I've played roles where people hated the character – creepy, repulsive. Whether it was in Vennela or Rakhee, those were the kinds of characters I was offered. There weren’t many non-creepy villain roles coming my way. Directors often pre-decide during casting, thinking, "Oh, he’s that guy, we already know what he does." So they don’t consider you for something different.

Q: But there were filmmakers who believed in you?

Ravi Varma: Absolutely. Rahul gave me a professor’s role, a nuanced one. Praveen also cast me in something meaningful. These directors gave me the independence to perform without being boxed in. Even Sukumar once said, “Doing villain roles will limit you.” And G.V. mentioned that people tend to feel disgust just by looking at me on screen–not because of me, but because of the characters I’ve portrayed so convincingly!

Q: That must feel limiting as an artist.

Ravi Varma: It is, at times. But as a performer, I know I can shift. Take Hatya, for example – there, I reduced the intensity of my attitude. My face, my body language, everything shifted to show a more broken, vulnerable man in his 60’s. That’s what I mean when I say, “I want to shift the face”–I want to change how directors see me.

Q: What are your upcoming projects?

Ravi Varma: A Sony web series with Jagapati Babu garu, directed by Praveen Sattaru, and an Amazon web series. My film Blind Spot releases on April 18, Sambhala with Aadi Sai Kumar is coming soon, and Eleven hits theaters on May 16. Some are in both Telugu and Tamil.