Viraj Babbar, who won the title of Rubaru Mr India Glam International, says he always knew he wanted to become an actor and model. He said, “When I was growing up, everyone around me told me that I was a good-looking guy and I should get into modeling (he laughs).”
“I have always enjoyed being an entertainer, and while growing up, I realized that this (being an entertainer) was my calling, so I worked on its aspects and became one,” he added.
Born and brought up in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, he is a commerce graduate from the Bhopal School of Social Sciences. He comes from a business family. His father was a businessman, and then his elder brother, Raj, also became an entrepreneur and started his trading business. Viraj, inspired by his elder brother, too, started his trading business. His mother is a homemaker. He came to Mumbai in April 2023 and said, “It’s been more than a year now that I have been in Mumbai. I guess Mumbai has accepted me as one of its own people.”
Asked about the story behind his name, he said, “My parents named my brother Raj, and after him I was born, and they named me Viraj. It’s always been their belief that our names should sound complementary when called together, and they also believe that it will keep us united forever. We come from a family where we are all very close to each other.”
Viraj has not taken any formal training in acting but has done a few workshops so that he can learn about his inclination towards a particular method of acting. He added, “Soon I would want to get trained as an actor.”
As the winner of Rubaru Mr India Glam International, he will be representing India on an international level in November in Manila, Philippines. “The grand finale was on August 7 in Goa. Established in 2004, Rubaru Talent Promoting Private Limited, also known as Rubaru Group, has carved a niche as a pioneering force in the talent agency industry. The organization is dedicated to identifying, nurturing, and presenting exceptional young talents from India on a global stage, with a primary focus on talent promotion and pageantry. With a legacy spanning nearly two decades, Rubaru Mr India remains the country’s longest-running annual pageant for men.“
What kind of roles are you looking for? “It depends on what movie I watched last. Whatever movie I see, I wish to be the same character. Obviously, if it’s a good movie, But yes, those heroic entries in Bollywood commercial movies inspire me; at times, even those characters in art cinema inspire me as well. Very open to opportunities. If you go through my social media, you’ll see that I change my looks easily, and that inspires me to be open to different opportunities,” he added.
