Varun Chakravarthy's Journey Before Cricket Stardom
Varun Chakravarthy is well-known among fans of Indian cricket and the IPL as a talented spinner who has emerged as a significant player in recent years. However, his path to cricket was unconventional, involving diverse interests such as architecture, music, and the film industry in his twenties before he focused on sports.
Experience in the Film Industry
In a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on the podcast Kutti Stories with Ash, Varun shared insights about his early attempts in films. At 25, he was drawn to cinema and spent time with people from the movie industry, often watching film shoots.
“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. 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.”
Despite not succeeding as an assistant director, Varun received an unexpected opportunity on set due to his cricket skills.
“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.”
Current Status as Indian Cricketer
Now established in cricket, Varun Chakravarthy reportedly earns a daily allowance of $300, a significant rise from his early earnings as a junior artiste in films.
His unique journey highlights a blend of talents and determination that eventually led him to success on the cricket field.
Author’s Summary
Varun Chakravarthy's diverse early career included architecture and films, where he earned Rs 600 daily as a junior artiste, before becoming a prominent Indian cricketer with a $300 daily allowance.