Vijay Varma is looking at fame a little differently these days. After spending more than a year mostly off the grid, the actor is now easing back into public life with the release of Gustaakh Ishq. The break was not planned as a big disappearance, but it did make him think about how constant attention can change things – especially when your personal life becomes everyone's topic.
When asked whether he stepped away on purpose because of all the media noise, he admitted it openly. “The work wasn't coming out, so the conversation was about everything else,” Vijay Varma told HT City.
The actor's relationship with Tamannaah Bhatia had turned into a daily headline, and those months made him understand how being in a “public relationship” brings a different level of scrutiny.
"I Needed More Silence," Vijay Varma Said
Vijay Varma said he was not trying to play hide and seek with the media. In fact, he barely engaged. “I would have liked complete silence but that's not possible. 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," he said.
"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,” Vijay added.
Vijay Varma As A Romantic In Gustaakh Ishq
What makes this moment interesting is how different his career looks today. Vijay Varma worked his way up through small parts and sharp negative roles. Then he became the dependable leading man. And with Gustaakh Ishq, he has stepped into a full-on romantic space.
The actor also explained how it happened. “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 said, referring to his relationship with Tamannaah.
Vijay Varma and Tamannaah Bhatia, who started dating in 2023, parted ways after being together for two years.