Vijay Varma found himself in an awkward yet funny moment at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2026 when content creator Dolly Singh jokingly called him the “nation’s biggest red flag” on stage. The actor was on stage to accept the Best Performance award for his role in ‘Matka King’, but the light-hearted jibe left him visibly caught off guard.
Dolly Singh calls Vijay Varma the ‘biggest on-screen red flag’
While congratulating Vijay Varma on his win, Dolly Singh spoke about his reputation for playing intense and morally grey characters. She noted that whenever Vijay appears in a show or film, audiences instantly start wondering who’s in trouble and what his character is up to next. Referring to this on-screen image, she jokingly called him the “nation’s biggest red flag”.
Vijay Varma’s witty comeback
Never one to be outdone, Vijay Varma responded with humour of his own. “Just buy a piece of red cloth and keep it at home, and make as many flags as you want,” he said. Dolly shot back and said that she will let go of his “lame joke”. Undeterred, Vijay had another quip ready, “Just as I let go of your terrible compliments aside.”
Netizens react to Vijay Varma’s response
The exchange quickly went viral after the clip surfaced online, with many social media users calling Dolly’s comment inappropriate. “This was so awkward to watch,” one user wrote, while another commented, “You reap what you sow🔥.”
More about ‘Matka King’ and Vijay Varma’s projects
Vijay was last seen in ‘Matka King’, a crime drama directed by Nagraj Manjule, set in Mumbai’s matka gambling world of the 1960s and ’70s. He played Brij Bhatti, a man who rises to build a gambling empire from humble roots. Over the years, Vijay has built a strong reputation for unconventional, layered roles, with projects like ‘Dahaad’, ‘Jaane Jaan’ and ‘Darlings’ further cementing his image as an actor unafraid of moral complexity.
