What mark did Gully Boy’s Moeen leave on Vijay Varma? Exclusive details inside

Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy has garnered praises from all over the globe. The film, which is larger than what it appears, introduced us to the not so famous world of hip hop in the best way possible. Apart from a fantastic narrative, the movie also gave us a few amazing characters that we all will cherish for a long time. One such character was that of Moeen Bhai. Vijay Varma played the role to perfection and didn’t go unnoticed. In the film, he is seen doing unlawful things but he is the ruler in his own world. Vijay slayed the character and we adore him for that. In a candid conversation with CineBlitz, Vijay revealed how his experience was working on the film which had so many supertasters. He also spoke about what’s next on his plate and why Moeen is special.

How much has Gully Boy changed things for you?
Things have changed in a way that a lot of love and attention is being poured on me and on the film. It has reached such a wide audience. I think the number of followers on social media has increased. At the same time, there are a lot of Industry people who have reached out to me and expressed their admiration for my work in the film. I am just flooded with calls and messages. It is the very first time for me that this kind of love is coming my way because of a part I played. So I am just basking in all of it right now. I am soaking it all in and I am very happy.

Have new offers started coming in?
Yes, there is a lot of interesting stuff and a few inquiries have come in as well. But the thing is I am so occupied with post-release interactions that I have not really sat down and figured out what is to be done. Soon I will kick start my work again.

What was the brief given to you for the character (Moeen) in Gully Boy?
The brief that was given to me was that he is a survivor; he is the toughest guy in the blend. He is somebody that no one can take a Panga with and he has an inherent quality of being one up than everybody else. Just hustles his way around and is very enterprising. Moeen is like that – he tries to do as much as he can in life because feels you are all by yourself and nobody is there to look after you. So you have to make it on your own.

Moeen embodies the setup of the city, he is cheerful, he is friendly but dark as well. How much of this was on the script and how much came out impromptu?
A lot of it was already in the script, though a lot of nuances were added but overall the graph of the character and the way he responds to everything was clearly laid out. The skeleton was set but it was enhanced with the help of the costume and make-up and everything contributing in what the character has become. I feel the victory of the character is that in spite of knowing what he does sometimes is unlawful but its right for him and you understand where he is coming from.

How difficult was this for you?
Zoya’s (Zoya Akhtar) vision was so clear and so direct that we were happy to serve her vision and be a part of it. But primarily for me, it was very important that I maintain the arc personally as an actor. So at no point, I wanted to kind of give a glimpse of something that I am not. I wanted to embody every aspect and all the dimensions that he carries. There is certain kind of flamboyance to him and at the same time, there was a dark side about the business he does. So I had to mix and match both the qualities. Because on the front he is somebody who is very friendly, someone who thinks that he is cool and the king of his kingdom. But there are practices that he is part of which is very discrete and covert. So the difficult part is how much to give and what to hide behind the gestures.

It is said that every character you play leaves a mark on you. What mark did Moeen leave?
This is a loaded question; I think the incredible nature of absolutely selfless friendship. That has to be the mark as I related it to my life because I had a friend who helped me during my low days, be it financially or mentally.

How was it working with everyone in the film?
I couldn’t have asked for a better team. This was a dream team because everyone here was a superstar in their own way. I hopped on board and it was exactly what I wanted to work in. This is a film where I knew we all were creating something which was going to be worth the hard work. It was a very enriching experience.

What do you have to say about your new fan Ishan Khatter?

I think he has done well in the Instagram video. But he can rap and Moeen Bhai can’t. I am very happy to be appreciated by this young star. It is very sweet of him that he showed so much generosity by making that rap.

Which is the best compliment you have received to date?
When people say I had a lump in my throat, I was moved to tears with your performance. It is something that happens only when people are connected to the story and the character and I like it. I have also met people who wanted to slap me after Pink. After that film, the only remarks I got were ‘I felt like slapping you and beating you’.

Tell us about your future projects?
I have shot for a film called BamFaad with a new director and is presented by Anurag Kashyap. Right now, I am working on a web series written and produced by Imtiaz Ali.