Vijay Varma on his Dahaad character: Completely judged him and every single action that he took

The role of serial killer-turned-teacher Anand Swarnakar in Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti's Dahaad was one Vijay Varma jumped for because he enjoys thrillers. The actor had no idea how challenging it would be to enter the mind of a man who killed 29 women after luring them with the prospect of marriage.

He reveals to Midday that he was scared of the part, adding that he couldn't stop thinking about it. Vijay knew the script was good about halfway through. He put the script down after finishing it and dialed Reema's number. She suggested that they make this together if he is game.

Reema and Ruchika Oberoi, the show's directors, gathered their cast and crew in 2020 to begin filming the Prime Video series. The shoot was put on hold for ten months after the lockdown occurred because of the widespread panic. It was a bit of a pain, but they all wanted to accomplish this, so they went back and accessed this guy again. More than just the role itself, the connection he had built with the crew and the rest of the cast was unforgettable. For Vijay, it was a situation with two sides. While the actor had little trouble nailing the character's physical appearance, he admits he required outside assistance in order to get into Anand's head.

On the surface, the character knew he was a naive, cultured, well-behaved, and potentially perfect man. It seemed to him that making him too dramatic would be riskier than making him too ordinary. Looking at him, one gets the impression that something isn't quite right, but one can't quite put their finger on what it is. This person was beyond Vijay's comprehension. According to Reema, he finds it hilarious. The actor had a basic grasp of the jargon, but he wanted to know how his mind worked. A psychologist he consulted shed light on the motivations and actions of the protagonist. She then elucidated for him his underlying psychopathic inclinations.

Before and after filming, some actors are completely preoccupied with their roles, while others work together to try to understand their characters' viewpoints of the world. Vijay stated categorically that he had drawn a line in the sand and detested Anand Swarnakar because of it.

He had a very critical eye for him and everything he did, but he was able to mimic his performance because that's what actors do. The actor could understand the outward circumstances, but he had no idea what was going on in the protagonist's head. Therefore, it was risky for him to identify with his protagonist. The actor confesses that he hates the character and gives respect to the writers for a brilliant storyline.