Vijay Varma reveals Shah Rukh Khan wanted to play Hamza in Darlings: It was one of the reasons I felt I could do the role

Vijay Varma is currently riding the wave of appreciation he is receiving for his compelling performance in Darlings. The actor essays the role of Hamza in the film, a man who physically abuses his wife Badru, played by Alia Bhatt. Naturally, Varma had his reservations on taking up such a role, but it seems that Shah Rukh Khan helped give the former the push he needed to do so.

In a conversation with Film Companion, Varma said that he had heard someone say that SRK had wanted to play Hamza after reading the script to Darlings. The superstar had remarked that if he had been younger, he would definitely have liked to star in the role. Varma said “That was also one of the reasons I felt that I could do this role, if Shah Rukh Khan thinks that he can do this role, being an absolute lover-boy and a sweetheart”.

Varma said that despite this, he was still scared of how his character would be received by audiences. He thought audiences would be gripped with fear and dread after watching Hamza, which the actor himself was. He considered Hamza to be someone who is completely hopeless and devoid of any real connection, who wouldn't improve even if given a chance to do so. All of that had came out the way it was intended on screen as well.

The actor revealed that he felt shaken after watching the first screening of the film, prompting his co-star Alia to ask if he was okay. Varma had responded saying that he felt his career would end after this role, saying “A performance that creates that kind of hate and dread is scary for an actor”.

Darlings, written and directed by Jasmeet K Reen, is available for streaming on Netflix. The film also stars Shefali Shah and Roshan Mathew in pivotal roles.