Varun Chakravarthy once earned Rs 600 per day as junior artiste; now receives $300 daily allowance as Indian cricketer

Varun Chakravarthy: From Junior Artiste to Indian Cricketer

During a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on the podcast Kutti Stories with Ash, Varun Chakravarthy reflected on his journey before fame and his short time in the film industry. Known today as one of India’s standout spin bowlers, Varun’s road to cricketing success was anything but linear.

Life Before Cricket

In his twenties, Varun explored several fields, moving from architecture and music to films before eventually committing himself to cricket. His search for creative expression initially drew him toward cinema.

Time in the Film Industry

“I started hanging out with the movie guys in my group. We used to watch film shoots. 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. I had seen some films like Varanam Aayiram and Subramaniapuram. These inspired me a lot during those days. So I felt that I could express myself through the movies. But I couldn’t make it to being an AD on set. 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.”

Varun’s early work as a junior artiste gave him modest earnings but valuable experience before his career turned to cricket. Today, he enjoys a daily allowance of $300 as part of the Indian national team—a remarkable leap from his humble beginnings.

Summary

Varun Chakravarthy’s path from earning Rs 600 per day on film sets to representing India in cricket highlights his perseverance and adaptability across vastly different careers.

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The Indian Express The Indian Express — 2025-11-07

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