‘Masaan’ to ‘Manmarziyaan’, the Many Faces of Vicky Kaushal

The actor is the one dark horse we wouldn’t hesitate betting on.

It was 2015 when a young man called Vicky Kaushal tramped his way into our consciousness with an incredibly vulnerable face and the wild card Masaan. Three years later, the actor is seven films old - eight, if you consider Manmarziyaan which is releasing on 14 September. He has managed to wow us with every role he has essayed on screen - and none of them have been that of a conventional mainstream Bollywood hero.

Vicky has not only showcased his formidable versatility in the films he has chosen, but he has also made some brave choices. It’s refreshing to come across an actor who says he chooses a good story over the length of his role, and actually does it.

From Masaan to Sanju to Manmarziyaan, Vicky Kaushal has hit the ground running. He has evolved both in terms of physicality and acting chops, and for once this is one dark horse we wouldn’t hesitate betting on. Here’s briefly looking at the actor’s evolution.

Masaan (2015)

Vicky played Deepak, a Varanasi boy from the Dom community which traditionally carries out the duties on a cremation ground. Caste plays a pivotal role in this narrative, and Deepak is the embodiment of innocence, vulnerability and aspiration in his ambition to break unfair social barriers.

Raman Raghav 2.0 (2016)

Vicky traipsed to the other end of the spectrum with this Anurag Kashyap film. He played Raghavan, an unlikable abusive, coke-snorting police officer who’s battling his own dark demons even as he chases a serial killer.

Love Per Square Foot (2018)

In the first Netflix India original, Vicky played Sanjay Chaturvedi, an IT software engineer who’s ready to go to almost any length for a roof to call his own in Mumbai. The actor again brought together a vulnerability and charm to his impeccable comic timing in this role. This is the boy-next-door avatar at his best.

Raazi (2018)

Raazi was clearly Alia Bhatt’s film but Vicky Kaushal’s turn as the gentle Iqbal Syed, who gets torn between different loves, remains etched in one’s heart. Vicky infused the character - a far cry from the expected demonic depiction of a Pakistani army officer -with a quiet love that long outlasts the film.

Lust Stories (2018)

Paras in this Netflix film is as guileless as they come. Simple-minded to a fault, he is a clueless romantic who fails to satisfy his wife (Kiara Advani) in bed as well as conversations. You laugh your heart out at this guy, but also feel sorry for him somewhere - a response only the best of actors can invoke.

Sanju (2018)

Vicky won over the masses with his depiction of Kamli, Sanjay Dutt’s (Ranbir Kapoor) best friend in Rajkumar Hirani’s Sanju. Hilarious, weirdly styled and all-heart, the character portrayed by the actor not only acted as a moral compass against Sanju’s character in the film, but it showcased Vicky’s immense range as an actor.

Manmarziyaan (2018)

And as far as looks go, Anurag Kashyap’s upcoming Manmarziyaan completely reinvents Vicky. Playing a Punjabi stud who loses his girl to another man, the actor - going by the trailer - has turned in another jaw-dropping performance.

And if with all this talk of acting chops, you think the 30-year-old is not a dishy enough hero, we implore you to look at these pictures.