Ram Gopal Varma (Telugu: రామ్ గోపాల్ వర్మ, Hindi: राम गोपाल वर्मा, born April 7, 1962) is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer. Varma has directed, written and produced films across multiple genres—psychological thrillers, underworld gang warfare, politician-criminal nexus, and musicals—and in multiple languages—Telugu and Hindi.

Shiva (1989) was his first film as director and agyaat (2009) is his most recent one. He gained recognition in Hindi cinema, also known as "Bollywood", with Rangeela (1995). The next film he directed was Satya (1998), which won six Filmfare Awards, including the Critics Award for Best Film. Satya, together with his 2002 film Company (which he directed and which won seven Filmfare Awards) and 2005 film D (which he produced), form an "Indian Gangster Trilogy", comparable to the Godfather Trilogy or Infernal Affairs trilogy.[1] Other successful films Varma directed include Kshana Kshanam (1991), Kaun (1999), Jungle (2000), Bhoot (2003), Sarkar (2005) and Sarkar Raj (2008).

Early years

Ram Gopal Varma Penmetsa was born in Hyderabad to Krishnam Raju Penmetsa and Suryamma. Varma was not a good student in school and use to skip classes regularly, something that strained his relationship with his family, particularly his father.

In an interview to Tehelka, Varma talked about that phase of his life, his relationship with his parents, and the reasons behind his decision to become a filmmaker-
"From my parents’ perspective, I looked like a useless bum. It was the truth. I had no objective. I was just fascinated by people, so I used to study their behaviour. I was most fascinated by the bullies in my classroom. They were like gangsters for me. They had the guts to push around people, do things I couldn’t— perhaps did not even want to do myself. But I’d want a friend like that (laughs). I used to adulate them like heroes. That was my first touch with anti-socialism. Over a period of time, I developed a low-angle fascination for larger than life people. I was always a loner — not because I was unhappy, but because I live away from myself, not just others. I like to study myself — the way I am talking, behaving. My constant obsession with studying myself and other people is perhaps the primary motivation for me to be a filmmaker."

Varma is a civil engineer by profession and graduated from the V.R.Siddhartha Engineering College, Vijayawada. Even during this period, Varma remained a film buff. He would skip classes often and go and watch films instead - 8-10 films a week. He would watch the same film repeatedly "just to watch certain scenes which interested him." According to him, that is how he learned film direction..

After graduation, Varma tried entering the film industry, but couldn't manage it. He then put his dreams on the backburner and decided to go to Nigeria to make some money. It was at this moment that he visited a video rental library in Hyderabad. He loved the idea and decided to start one of his own, all because of his craze for films.

Career in Hindi cinema

While Varma's first successful Hindi film was the remake of Shiva, the film that really put the spotlights on him was the blockbuster Rangeela. With great acting from the lead trio of Aamir Khan, Jackie Shroff and Urmila Matondkar, a fantastic soundtrack by composer A. R. Rahman (this being his first original score for a Hindi film), and with Varma at the helm, it was no surprise that this romantic musical drama was a runaway success. The film won Filmfare Awards for Rahman and Shroff. The film, according to Varma, was dedicated to Bollywood actress Sridevi. His next film Daud (1997), however, was a failure and sank without a trace.[7]But Ramu's some films were not succesful like Phoonk, Contract, Ram Gopal Varma Ki AAG and Agyaat.

In 1998, Varma was an executive producer for Dil Se, directed by Mani Ratnam and starring Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala and Preity Zinta. The film won the NETPAC Award for Special Mention at the Berlin Film Festival, as well as two National Film Awards and six Filmfare Awards.

Awards and nominations

Nandi Award for Best Director

* Won, Shiva (1989)
* Won, Kshana Kshanam (1991)
* Won, Prema Katha (1999)

Bollywood Award for Best Director

* Won, Satya (1998)
* Won, Jungle (2000)
* Won, Company (2002)
* Won, Bhoot (2003)

Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie

* Won, Satya (1998)

Filmfare Best Director Award

* Nominated, Company (2002)
* Nominated, Bhoot (2003)
* Nominated, Sarkar (2005)

Star Screen Award for Best Director

* Nominated, Jungle (2000)

Zee Cine Award for Best Director

* Nominated, Bhoot (2003)

Zee Cine Award for Best Producer of the Year

* Nominated, 2005

Filmography

As director

* Shiva (1989)
* Kshana Kshanam (1990)
* Antham / Drohi (1992)
* Raathri / Raat (1992)
* Gaayam / Desam (1993)
* Govinda Govinda (1993)
* Rangeela (1995)
* Deyyam (1996)
* Anaganaga Oka Roju (1997)
* Daud (1997)
* Satya (1998)
* Prema Katha (1999)
* Kaun (1999)
* Mast (1999)
* Jungle (2000)
* Company (2002)
* Darna Mana Hai (2003)
* Bhoot (2003)
* Naach (2004)
* Sarkar (2005)
* Shiva (2006)
* Darna Zaroori Hai (2006)
* Nishabd (2007)
* Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (2007)
* Darling (2007)
* Sarkar Raj (2008)
* Contract (2008)
* Phoonk - The Black Magic Story (2008)
* Rann (in production)
* Adavi /Agyaat (2009)
* D Company (2009) (filming)
* Rakta Charitra (Announced)

As writer

* Shiva (1989)
* Kshana Kshanam (1990)
* Antham / Drohi (1992)
* Raathri / Raat (1992)
* Gaayam / Desam (1993)
* Govinda Govinda (1993)
* Thiruda Thiruda (1994)
* Rangeela (1995)
* Deyyam (1996)
* Daud (1997)
* Shool (1999)
* Shock (2006)
* Darna Zaroori Hai (2006)
* Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (2007)
* Sarkar Raj (2008)

As producer

* Anaganaga oka roju-telugu (1995)
* gulabi-telugu (1996)
* money-telugu (1997)
* money money-telugu (1998)
* W/O V varaprasad-telugu (1998)
* Dil Se (1998)
* Road (2002)
* Ek Hasina Thi (2003)
* Ab Tak Chhappan (2004)
* Vaastu Shastra (2004)
* D (2005)