Varun Chakravarthy’s Journey from Films to Cricket
Varun Chakravarthy, now a recognized Indian cricketer and prominent IPL spinner, once earned just Rs 600 per day as a junior artiste before his cricket career took off. His path to success involved exploring various fields including architecture, music, and the film industry in his 20s.
Early Sporting and Artistic Pursuits
In a candid conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on the podcast Kutti Stories with Ash, Varun revealed how his interest in films coincided with his evolving career. At age 25, he mingled with film industry friends and observed movie sets, hoping to break into filmmaking.
“I started hanging out with the movie guys in my group. We used to watch the shooting of films. One day, I got to know that this cricket movie Jeeva was being shot in many cricket stadiums. So I went to the location, thinking I would try to be an assistant director.”
Varun was inspired by movies like Varanam Aayiram and Subramaniapuram, which fueled his desire to express himself through cinema. Though he could not secure the role of an assistant director, a unique opportunity arose during filming.
Opportunity as a Junior Artiste
“One day on set, an AD came up to me and offered me a part as a junior artiste, asking if I knew how to play cricket. The salary was Rs 600 per day. That was pretty helpful at that time.”
This modest income as a junior artiste marked a starting point before Varun ultimately established himself in professional cricket, where he now earns a daily allowance of $300 as part of the Indian cricket team.
Author’s Summary
Varun Chakravarthy’s diverse early experiences in films and other fields paved the way for his current success as a celebrated Indian cricketer.
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