Ram Gopal Varma

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Penmetsa Ram Gopal Varma (RGV) (born 7 April 1962), is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer, primarily known for his work in Hindi and Telugu films.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="iffi.nic.in">*Template:Cite web*Template:Cite web

Starting his career as a civil engineer, he made an entry into Telugu cinema with the path-breaking crime thriller, Siva (1989) featured at the 13th IFFI' 90 Indian Panorama mainstream section, and has won Varma, the state Nandi Awards for Best direction, Best first film of a director, and the Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Subsequently, the film was included in CNN-IBN's list of 100 greatest Indian films of all time.<ref name="IBNLive">Template:Cite web</ref> Varma's next directorial was Kshana Kshanam (1991), the neo-noir heist film being featured at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, won him another Nandi Award for Best Direction, and the Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer.<ref name="ReferenceA">Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema- Kshana Kshanam, Pg(503)-Professor of critical Studies-Paul Willemen-2014</ref> The 1993 political drama, Gaayam received six state Nandi Awards. In 1999, he directed Prema Katha for which he received his third Nandi Award for Best Director.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

Varma is known for directing and presenting pan-Indian works casting actors across the country, such as the Indian Political Trilogy, and the Indian Gangster Trilogy; film critic Rajeev Masand had labelled the latter series as one of the "most influential movies of Indian cinema.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="The Sunday Tribune – Spectrum">Template:Cite web</ref> The first installment of the trilogy, Satya, was also listed in CNN-IBN's 100 greatest Indian films of all time, fetching Varma the "Bimal Roy Award" for Best Direction.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Varma fetched the National Film Award for scripting and producing the political crime drama, Shool (1999) cited by "India Today" as the "Best Cop Movie" of the 90's.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="47thawardPDF">Template:Cite web</ref> His recent avant-garde works include hits such as the dramatised re-enactment of "Rayalaseema factionism" in Rakta Charitra (2010), the "2008 Mumbai attacks" in The Attacks of 26/11 (2013), the "Operation Cocoon" in Killing Veerappan (2016),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Sakshi">Template:Cite web</ref> the "Vijayawada riots" in Vangaveeti (2016),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> N. T. R. in Lakshmi's NTR (2019), and Konda politics in Konda (2022).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Early life and background

Varma was born on 7 April 1962 in a Telugu family to Krishna Raju Varma and Suryavathi. In an interview with Lakshmi Manchu on a talk show, Varma said that he was born in Nampally, Hyderabad. He did his schooling at St. Mary's High School, Secunderabad<ref>and completed Intermediate from New Science college Ameerpet Hyderabad. Template:Cite news</ref> and completed his BE degree in Civil engineering from V.R. Siddhartha Engineering College, Vijayawada. Even during this period, Varma remained a film buff, through his uncle. Varma would skip classes often and watch films instead. He would watch the same film repeatedly "just to watch certain scenes which interested him."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to him, that is how he learned film direction.

Film career, craft and style

After a brief stint as a site engineer for Krishna Oberoi hotel in Hyderabad, he put his dreams on the back burner and decided to go to Nigeria to make some money. It was at this moment that he visited a video rental library in Hyderabad. He loved the idea and decided to start one of his own at Ameerpet in Hyderabad, through which he slowly developed connections with the film world.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> His father at that time was a long time sound engineer at Annapurna Studios. After working as an assistant director in Collector Gari Abbai and Rao Gari Illu, Akkineni Nageswara Rao gave him the opportunity to direct the 1989 cult blockbuster, Siva, after being impressed by him.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

International acclaim

Rachel Dwyer, a reader in world cinema at the University of London-Department of South Asia, marked Varma's Satya as an experiment with a new genre, a variation of film noir that has been called Mumbai Noir, of which Varma is the acknowledged master.<ref name="The Sunday Tribune – Spectrum"/><ref name="dwyer">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2010, Varma received critical acclaim at the Fribourg International Film Festival, Switzerland; a retrospective of his filmography, highlighting Mumbai Noir was staged by film critic Edouard Waintrop, a delegate in the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival.<ref name="India Today">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="David">Template:Cite web</ref> Satya and Company, in particular, were cited by British director Danny Boyle as influences on his Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), for their "slick, often mesmerizing portrayals of the Mumbai underworld", their display of "brutality and urban violence", and their gritty realism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2005, Varma directed the Godfatheresque-Sarkar, another super-hit thriller inspired by the life of Bal Thackeray and North Indian politics, which was screened to special mention at the New York Asian Film Festival, along with its sequel Sarkar Raj, which premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and the 9th IIFA World Premiere-Bangkok, and was archived at the Academy of Motion Pictures library.<ref name="David"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2013, he directed a docudrama, The Attacks of 26/11, showcased to critical acclaim at the Berlin International Film Festival, in the Panorama as well as the Competition section,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was premièred at Films Division of India.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film received highly positive reviews, with critics praising Varma's narrative of assistant commissioner N. R. Mahale, and the discrepancies associated with Mahale's interaction with Ajmal Kasab on anti terrorism.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Influences

Varma's philosophy is influenced by Russian-American Novelist Ayn Rand, Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and authors like James Hadley Chase and Frederick Forsyth, as well as by Mad magazine.<ref name="gunsandthighs.com">Template:Cite web</ref> Varma's first runaway hit in Hindi cinema was Shiva (1990), the remake of his 1989 film Siva.<ref name="ramu.bo">Template:Cite web</ref> Varma introduced the steadicam to Indian cinema with Siva.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Later, he garnered attention in Bollywood with the romantic comedy film, Rangeela (1995) starring Aamir Khan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film won seven Filmfare Awards.<ref name="ramu.bo" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="The Winners – 1998"/> Rangeela was later remade in Hollywood as Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He then directed Satya (1998), which won six Filmfare Awards, including the Critics Award for Best Film, In 2005, Indiatimes Movies included Satya in its list of 25 Must See Bollywood Movies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Satya was showcased among the Indian panorama section, at the 1998 International Film Festival of India,<ref name="iffi.nic.in"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Varma received the Bimal Roy memorial award for best direction for this film.<ref name="bimalroymemorial.org">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Reachouthyderabad.com">Template:Cite news</ref> In the same year, he co-produced Dil Se.., directed by Mani Ratnam, screened at the 1999 Berlin Film Festival, and won the Netpac Award, as well as two National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards.<ref name="The Winners – 1998">Template:Cite web</ref> Satya, together with his 2002 film Company (which he directed, won three IIFA Awards, seven Filmfare Awards, and a Bollywood Movie Award for best direction, and was premiered at the 2004 Austin Film Festival) and the 2005 film D (which he produced), were also featured in the Fribourg International Film Festival, and the New York Asian Film Festival.<ref name="India Today"/><ref name="David"/>

Experimental films

In the early 1990s, Varma experimented with the supernatural thriller, Raat (1991), and the neo-noir crime thriller, Drohi (1992), which were not commercially successful, but gained a cult following post-release.<ref name="Directorate of Film Festival">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ramu.bo"/> During the years between his trilogy, from Satya in 1998 to D in 2005,<ref name=Charlie>Template:Cite web</ref> Varma implemented different film genres in his craft. In 1999, he directed Kaun, a suspense thriller set entirely in one house and featuring only three actors, and Mast, a subversion of Hindi cinema's masala genre.<ref name="Film Society of Lincoln Center"/> In 2000, he directed Jungle, set entirely in a jungle, for which he was nominated for the Star Screen Award for Best Director. In 2003 he directed another supernatural thriller Bhoot on the lines of his earlier hit Raat. Bhoot became a major hit at the box office,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Varma was nominated for the Filmfare Best Director Award for the film.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bhoot was followed by even more horror movies, including hit films such as Darna Mana Hai (2003), Darna Zaroori Hai (2006), and Phoonk (2008), gaining Varma the status of ster of the Indian horror genre.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other experimental productions of Varma include Ek Hasina Thi (2003), a psychological thriller, and Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), a film about an inspector in the Mumbai Encounter Squad noted for having killed 56 people in encounters, featured at the Fantastic Fest.<ref name=David/> In 2006, he re-made a new installment of Shiva, which was screened at the New York Asian Film Festival, where in a retrospective featuring Varma's experimental hits such as Company, Ek Hasina Thi, Ab Tak Chhappan, Sarkar, Contract, and Shabri was staged.<ref name="David"/> Shabri was also screened at Rome Film Festival.<ref name="David"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2010 film on media, Rann was screened at Toronto International Film Festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A two-part bilingual Parallel cinema Rakta Charitra (2010), on the theme of South Indian politics, was based on the life of Paritala Ravindra, and Maddela Cheruvu Suri; the film received praise from critics.<ref name="dnaindia.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

Mainstream films

Varma started his career in the Telugu film industry as an assistant director on the sets of films such as Collector Gari Abbai and Rao Gari Illu. His father Krishnam Raju Varma, was a sound recordist at the Annapurna Studios. Varma met Nagarjuna Akkineni at the studio and narrated a scene to the actor which impressed him.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The result of their collaboration was a film on the criminalisation of student politics – Siva. It was a commercially successful film that gave Varma an opportunity to demonstrate his technical expertise and story telling skills.<ref name="ramu.bo"/>

Kshana Kshanam with Venkatesh, Gaayam with Jagapathi Babu and Anaganaga Oka Roju with J.D. Chakravarthy were successful; Govinda Govinda with Nagarjuna proved to be a moderate success at the box office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During this period, Varma produced films such as Money (1993), Money Money (1994), and Gulabi (1995). Other films by Varma in Telugu include Deyyam (1996), Prema Katha (1999), Madhyanam Hathya (2004), Katha Screenplay Darsakatvam Appalaraju (2011), Rowdy (2014), Ice Cream (2014), and Anukshanam (2014).<ref name="Sakshi" /><ref name="ibtimes.co.in">Template:Cite web</ref> Varma introduced online auction based film distribution model for this venture, and tasted success.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Varma's notable mainstream works in Hindi cinema include Daud (1997), Darna Zaroori Hai (2006), Nishabd (2007), Darling (2007), and Phoonk (2008). Bollywood film makers such as Anurag Kashyap, Madhur Bhandarkar, Puri Jagannadh, E. Nivas, Prawaal Raman, Krishna Vamsi, and Vishram Sawant assisted Varma, before venturing into direction.<ref name="indiatvnews.com"/> In 1993, he scripted the Tamil thriller Thiruda Thiruda, screened at Toronto International Film Festival.<ref name=autogenerated2>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=autogenerated3>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="asiaone">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2015, Varma was fined for Rs 10 Lakhs, for an alleged copyright violation with the film Aag (2007).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He made his directorial debut in Kannada cinema with the thriller Killing Veerappan.<ref name="thehindu">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2023, Ram Gopal Varma announced his retirement from political filmmaking, declaring 'Shapadham' as his final project.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Other work

File:Surya with RGV in Rakht Charitra shoot.jpg
Ram Gopal Varma with Suriya on the sets of Rakta Charitra 2

Television

Ram Gopal Varma made his début in Television through a Talk Show titled Ramuism. The show is being aired on a Telugu channel since September 2014.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The show is noted for its fresh and witty appeal. The show focuses on Varma's Point of View on social issues such as Education, Religion, Mythology, Children, Crime, Death, Anger, Godmen, Woman, Philosophy, Cinema etc. The show is hosted by Swapna, the managing editor of Sakshi TV.

Online media

He has also made a documentary called God, Sex and Truth with adult actress Mia Malkova.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Biographies

Varma wrote an autobiography titled Na Ishtam ("As I Please"), which discusses his life experiences and philosophy. 'Naa Ishtam' was released in December 2010 at Taj Banjara, Hyderabad.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sirasri, poet, lyricist and writer wrote a biographical book on the interactions he had with Ram Gopal Varma with the title Vodka With Varma. Director Puri Jagannadh launched the book in December 2012.

In November 2015, Varma published his book Guns and Thighs: The Story of My Life, which discusses a wide range of subjects, from the influences and circumstances that drew him to cinematic techniques, his successful and unsuccessful films, his Hindi cinema idols, his live-in relationship with Suchitra Krishnamoorthi, his relationship with the media and the controversies dogging him, his philosophy of life, and Indian cinema.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On this occasion, Varma said "I dedicated my book to Ayn Rand, Bruce Lee, Urmila Matondkar, Amitabh Bachchan, and a few gangsters."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Varma was married to Ratna, whom he later divorced.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They have a daughter who is a classical dancer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Controversies

On 21 October 2025, Ram Gopal posted a tweet from his verified Twitter handle celebrating Diwali by comparing the situation in Gaza with Diwali festives, where he wrote "In INDIA only one day is DIWALI and in GAZA, every day is DIWALI",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> while the situation in Gaza has been described by leading human rights organizations as a genocide.

In January 2025, Varma was convicted by a Mumbai court in a cheque bounce case and sentenced to three months of simple imprisonment. The case, originating 2018, was filed by a company named Shree, represented by Maheshchandra Mishra, under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Varma was also ordered to pay a compensation of ₹3.72 lakh to the complainant within three months, failing which he would face an additional three months of imprisonment. Varma was absent during the proceedings, leading to a non-bailable warrant for his arrest.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

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Awards and nominations

Varma has garnered the National Film Award, the Bimal Roy Memorial National Award, seven state Nandi Awards, two Bollywood Filmfare Awards, and five Bollywood Movie Awards.

National Film Awards

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
1999 Shool National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi Template:Won <ref name="47thawardPDF" />

Nandi Awards

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
1989 Siva Nandi Award for Best Director Template:Won
Nandi Award for Best First Film of a Director Template:Won
1991 Kshana Kshanam Nandi Award for Best Director Template:Won
Nandi Award for Best Screenplay Writer Template:Won
1993 Money Nandi Award for Best Feature Film – Silver Template:Won
1999 Prema Katha Nandi Award for Best Director Template:Won
Nandi Award for Best Feature Film – Bronze Template:Won

Filmfare Awards

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
1993 Rangeela Filmfare Best Story Award Template:Won <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1995 Filmfare Award for Best Director Template:Nominated <ref name="googlepages.com">Template:Cite web</ref>
Filmfare Award for Best Film Template:Nominated <ref name="googlepages.com"/>
1998 Satya Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie Template:Won <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Filmfare Award for Best Film Template:Nominated <ref name="googlepages.com"/>
2003 Company Filmfare Award for Best Director Template:Nominated <ref name="googlepages.com"/>
Filmfare Award for Best Film Template:Nominated <ref name="googlepages.com"/>
2004 Bhoot Filmfare Award for Best Director Template:Nominated <ref name="googlepages.com"/>
2006 Sarkar Template:Nominated <ref name="googlepages.com"/>

Filmfare Awards South

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
1989 Siva Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu Template:Nominated
1991 Kshana Kshanam Template:Nominated
1993 Gaayam Template:Nominated
1997 Anaganaga Oka Roju Template:Nominated
Anaganaga Oka Roju Filmfare Award for Best Film – Telugu Template:Nominated
1999 Prema Katha Filmfare Award for Best Director – Telugu Template:Nominated

Bimal Roy Memorial National Awards

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
1999 Satya Bimal Roy Memorial Award for Best Direction Template:Won <ref name="bimalroymemorial.org"/><ref name="Reachouthyderabad.com"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

IIFA Awards

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
2002 Company IIFA Award for Best Movie Template:Nominated <ref name="googlepages.com"/>
IIFA Award for Best Director Template:Nominated <ref name="googlepages.com"/>

Bollywood Movie Awards

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
1998 Satya Bollywood Movie Award – Best Director Template:Won <ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref>
2000 Jungle Bollywood Movie Award – Best Director Template:Won <ref name="auto"/>
2002 Company Template:Won <ref name="auto"/>
2003 Bhoot Template:Won <ref name="auto"/>

Zee Cine Awards

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
2004 Bhoot Best Director of The Year Template:Nominated <ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1">Template:Cite web</ref>
2005 Ab Tak Chhappan Best Producer of The Year Template:Nominated <ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/>

Screen Awards

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
2000 Jungle Screen Award for Best Director Template:Nominated <ref name="auto"/>
2002 Company Screen Award for Best Film Template:Nominated <ref name="auto"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2009 Sarkar Raj Screen Award for Best Director Template:Nominated <ref name="auto"/>

Stardust Awards

Year Film Category Outcome Ref
2009 Sarkar Raj Stardust Award for Best Director Template:Nominated <ref name="auto"/>
2010 Rakta Charitra Readers Choice Award for Best Director – Action/Thriller Template:Nominated <ref name="auto"/>

Other awards

Year Film Awards Category Outcome Ref
1989 Siva Vamsee Berkley Awards Best Director Template:Won <ref name="auto"/>
1993 Gaayam Akruthi Film Award Best Director Template:Won <ref name="auto"/>

References

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