Vijay Varma’s return to the screen with ‘Gustaakh Ishq’ drew instant attention, especially after his noticeably long absence from new releases. Known for taking on back-to-back projects, his break left fans curious about what had kept him away. The actor recently clarified that the pause wasn’t due to a shortage of work but rather the relentless spotlight on his personal life, which led him to step away for a while.
Vijay Varma on how the spotlight shifted from work to personal life
Varma reflected on a time when public attention had drifted away from his work and focused instead on his personal life. The actor noted that, similar to Jaya Bachchan’s commentary on the unwanted nature of paparazzi culture, the constant buzz around him had turned suffocating. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Varma said, “The work wasn’t coming out, so the conversation was about everything else”, hinting at the phase when his relationship with Tamannaah Bhatia was the talk of the town.
Fame, silence and the search for peace
Talking about the challenges that come with constant visibility, Vijay opened up about his desire to find peace amid the chaos of fame. The actor said that he would have liked complete silence, but that’s not possible, pointing out that even after avoiding press interactions for over a year, the attention never truly faded. Varma further added, “I have not spoken to the press since IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, not given a single interview, yet the presence is all over and it’s beyond my control. But this is something that this generation is going to suffer from unless you live in a cave. Your decisions and your lives are being scrutinised every single day, so that’s how it is. I did need a gap, I needed more silence. But that’s something I didn’t have any control over.”
The “lover boy” tag and public perception
After making his comeback with ‘Gustaakh Ishq’, Vijay found himself being tagged as part of a new “lover boy” phase. Though he takes the nickname in stride, he admits it probably reflects how audiences viewed him when his relationship became public. “I feel it was a byproduct of being in the spotlight for being in a public relationship. People saw me in a certain way,” he says.
Reports of the breakup with Tamannaah Bhatia
Speculations about Tamannaah Bhatia and Vijay Varma’s split began making headlines in March this year. The couple, who had reportedly been together for over two years, was said to have gone their separate ways. According to Pinkvilla, the duo parted ways weeks ago as a couple but they plan to remain good friends. Both have been working hard in their respective schedules. The actors had previously collaborated on Sujoy Ghosh’s segment in Netflix’s ‘Lust Stories 2’, which was released in June 2023.
