Vinay Varma

A high ranking military commander or an exploitative police officer, a convincing sadhu, a conniving criminal, a scheming, plotting villain, a reassuring father or an elderly relative, could also be supercilious, brash, arrogant, sarcastic - In all Hindi and Urdu dialects spoken across India. Can effectively bring out the regional slang of South India, Maharashtra and Bengal.

"Why do you sound like a kidnapper?" asked a friend's daughter. Not that i tried to impress her, but because i sound like that. i lend my own voice for the films i do, a recent example: Hindi film MUKHBIIR. -Dubbed for the main villain Prakash Raaj for the Hindi film EK AUR QAYAMAT in 2009, dubbed from the Telugu hit KANTRI. -Dubbed in Telugu for popular Hindi actor Tinnu Anand (who plays a 99 year old man) in Telugu film ANJI in 2004. -Voice over to promote Murali Nair's Hindi film VIRGIN GOAT in 2009. -Gave punch-line in Hindi for the Television Commercial BISON PANEL, telecast on all major channels in 2008. -The only actor from Hyderabad for the Hindi serial DAYASAGAR to have dubbed his own character-Judas Iscariot-travelling to Mumbai, from 1997-1999. -Wrote and anchored a weekly webcast in Hindi for I.T.C.'s Radio Choupal, that was meant for Western and Central India farmers, 2007-2008. -Background voice for the Hindi film HYDERABAD NAWABS, 2007. -Gave the punch-line in Hindi for Television commercials on Agarwal Packer and Movers, and State Bank of India, in Hyderabad, during 2004-2006. -Innumerable voice-overs and dubbing for corporates like I.T.C, Coromandel Fertilizers, Hyderabad Industries Limited, Malani Jewelers, Vibha Seeds, Ramoji Film City; and Public-sector Undertakings like Bharat Heavy industries Ltd., Hyderabad, National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad etc. Have been doing theater for donkeys years now. The modulation required while portraying different characters helped me hone my voice skills, and facilitated slipping into one character from another while dubbing. Had no formal training in either acting or voicing, learnt everything the hard way. Practical experiences taught me more than any institute would have ever taught me. Made best use of my voice over telephone. Along the way got roles in television series and feature films, but theater shall alway remain closest to my heart. In 1999, after quitting my job as an Officer in a Nationalized Bank, i realized i had only one life to lead, and that i must pursue my passion as if i had no tomorrow. Soon enough, i floated a company called Sutradhar Casting Agency (P) ltd. to promote Hyderabad's home-grown talent. And to realise this goal, we also started conducting acting workshops, which invariably culminated in a theater production. WE then branched out into conducting voice workshops as well. The purpose here too was to create a database of voices for outsourcing. These workshops served as a great learning experience for me, although i was the major facilitator in such workshops.During this process, i came to grips with voice acting and learned to use my voice authoritatively and convincingly. So, in a way, i was a slow learner :) Have acted in about 30 plays and directed about 20. The performance high-points being the 70-minute monologue MAIN RAHI MASOOM, a biographical sketch of the famous Hindi and Urdu writer Dr. Rahi Masoom Raza, Samuel Beckett's KRAPP'S LAST TAPES, Jean Genet's DEATHWATCH, and MAIN NATHURAM GODSE... among others. Had also dabbled with journalism in my early years, and did quite a few art and theater reviews. Have also conducted workshops and directed plays for corporates. These days i've been roped in to train the staff of I.T.C. from all over India for voice and body-language. Presently working on a script for a film which i wish to direct. Acted in 4 Hindi films, half-a-dozen Telugu films and a Hollywood film BEEPER, alongside Harvey Keitel. Not at the moment, but keen to establish one soon. Did not feel the need so far as all the studios were accessible and mostly run by friends. Regularly does script-writing work for television series, ad-films, corporate films and feature films, and translation work from Hindi to English and vice-versa. Conceptualised the television commercial on a Office and Home-based product called BISON PANEL, which was telecast on major television channels all over India. Doubles up as a Casting Director on behalf of Sutradhar for feature films etc. Some of the films include NEE TODU KAAVALI, DANGER, NINNU KALISAKA (all Telugu), SARKAR RAAJ, JOHNY MASTANA, VIRGIN GOAT, EK THI RANI AISI BHI (all Hindi)etc. A successful corporate trainer in voice and body-language. Trains youngsters for theater.