Actor Vijay Varma had a playful exchange with host Dolly Singh at the recently concluded Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2026 after she called him the “biggest red flag” on screen, writes Hindustan Times.
Vijay, who has built a reputation for portraying morally complex and antagonistic characters, won the Best Performance award at the festival for his role in Matka King.
During the award ceremony, Dolly Singh pointed out that Vijay’s frequent portrayal of grey-shaded characters has earned him a reputation as a “red flag” among viewers.
“You are a walking-talking red flag for us,” she said, while noting that colleagues often describe him as one of the nicest people to work with.
She then asked how he managed to balance his on-screen image with his real-life reputation.
Vijay responded with a joke: “Just buy a piece of red cloth and keep it at home, and make as many flags as you want.”
Dolly immediately dismissed the response as a “lame joke”, prompting Vijay to fire back: “Just as I let go of your terrible compliments aside.”
His comeback left the audience laughing.
The exchange later sparked discussion on social media, with viewers largely interpreting the interaction as light-hearted banter.
Several users pointed out that Dolly was referring to Vijay’s on-screen characters rather than his personality.
Vijay has become known for taking on challenging characters with darker or morally ambiguous traits.
His performances in Darlings and Dahaad, among others, have particularly highlighted his ability to portray unsettling characters.
His role in Matka King has further added to his reputation for taking on complex parts.
The actor was recently honoured at IFFM 2026 for his performance in the Prime Video series.
Vijay was last seen in Vibhu Puri’s Gustaakh Ishq, which also stars Naseeruddin Shah, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sharib Hashmi. The film marked fashion designer Manish Malhotra’s debut as a film producer.
He also starred in Matka King, which follows the rise of a cotton trader who transforms into a powerful gambling figure after creating a new form of the Matka game.
With his continued choice of unconventional roles, Vijay remains one of Bollywood’s actors to watch for performances that challenge conventional hero and villain stereotypes.
