“In the West, It’s Al Pacino, and in India It’s Naseeruddin Shah”: Vijay Varma on Working With His Idol in Gustaakh Ishq

Vijay Varma has become one of the most exciting actors of his generation; the kind who doesn’t just play a character but reshapes the screen around him. With every role, he pushes into new textures, new energies, and new emotional terrains, making audiences lean in a little closer each time he appears. And now, after years of breaking ground with layered, complex performances, Vijay is stepping into an entirely new space with Gustaakh Ishq. For the first time, he takes on the mantle of a full-fledged romantic hero, marking the beginning of what fans are already calling his lover boy era which shows softer sides of him. 

For Vijay Varma, Gustaakh Ishq isn’t just a new chapter in his filmography, it’s the fulfilment of a dream he has carried since his FTII days. The actor, who has often spoken about being a true fanboy of Naseeruddin Shah, finally shares the screen with the legend in this film, and the pairing is already one of the most anticipated aspects of the project. After the songs and trailer dropped, audiences are especially looking forward to seeing their on-screen chemistry. Vijay was once the FTII student who stood outside Naseer saab’s lecture for eight hours, waiting for a chance to be taught by him. 

When he was asked how it feels to finally work with the man he has idolised for years, Vijay didn’t hold back. “It feels like I’m living a fantasy. He’s a cinema god. What has he not done? No one has been able to reach him in terms of sheer craft and abilities. Whether it's Hindi, Urdu, English… he knows so many languages. His voice is like a god. He’s still connected to theatre, he still performs, he still teaches kids. I’ve never seen such a passionate actor. “I think in the West, it’s Al Pacino, and in India it’s Naseeruddin Shah.” he said.

For audiences, seeing these two performers come together is already generating excitement. But for Vijay Varma, it’s more than a collaboration, it’s a full-circle moment. A student standing outside a lecture hall has now grown into the co-star who finally gets to share the frame with his idol.