Personal details
- Birth Date: 1963-06-05
- Height: 5′ 10¼″ (1.78 m)
- Birth Location: Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Children: (1 child) Tanishka Raaz
- Professions: Actor, Director
Vijay Raaz grew up in Delhi—proper Dilli boy through and through—hitting up Kirori Mal College, where he got swept up in the drama scene (literally, he was with the society The Players). He wasn’t just doing random skits either; he was out there taking the stage at National School of Drama, catching the eye of some real film industry heavyweights. Naseeruddin Shah, of all people, spotted him and tossed his name to Mahesh Mathai for “Bhopal Express” and to Mira Nair for “Monsoon Wedding.” That last one? Total game-changer. After “Monsoon Wedding” made waves, suddenly everyone wanted Raaz. He packed up for Mumbai, chasing the filmi dream, and landed a bit in Ram Gopal Varma’s “Jungle.” But the real big break? “Raghu Romeo.” That was his first time leading a film, and he played this totally lost, lower-class guy—super relatable, honestly, and people just ate it up at the box office. Then came “Run,” which is where he unleashed the infamous Kauwa Biryani act. That scene? It’s the stuff of legend. Fans still quote it, and it pretty much shot him into cult status. But he’s not just a one-trick guy. In “Delhi Belly,” he slips into the role of a drug mafia boss—proper villain vibes, and critics lapped it up. He’s nailed everything from comedy to dark, gritty roles, and that’s probably why he’s stuck around so long. Vijay Raaz is one of those guys who pops up and just steals the show, no matter what kind of film you’re watching.
refrence nSo, Ram Gopal Varma had this wild project cooking back in 2004—“Lets Kill Veerapan.” It had Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Prakash Raj, and Aditya Srivastav all lined up, which is honestly a killer cast for any crime drama. Shimit Amin was supposed to direct (yeah, the guy behind “Chak De! India”), and the movie was supposed to dig into the notorious story of Veerapan—the infamous bandit everyone in India has heard of at least once. They were pulling from Sunaad Raghuram’s book “The Untold Story,” so you know it wasn’t going to be just another cops-and-robbers flick. It promised gritty details, real drama, maybe even some dark humor knowing the actors involved. But, for reasons still in the shadows, the whole thing got shelved before it could see the light of day. Feels like we missed out on something pretty epic.
June 5, 1963
5′ 10¼″ (1.78 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Yes, Tanishka Raaz
62 years old