Varun Chakravarthy, well-known to fans of Indian cricket and the IPL, has had an unusual journey to the sport. In his 20s, he explored various fields including architecture, music, films, and cricket before settling on a professional cricket career.
At 25, Varun tried to break into the film industry. He shared in a podcast conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on Kutti Stories with Ash:
“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. But 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 film industry income of Rs 600 daily was a crucial support as he transitioned between careers, illustrating his commitment to finding his true path.
Today, Varun Chakravarthy earns a daily allowance of $300 as an Indian cricketer, highlighting his significant progress from his early days.
Author's summary: Varun Chakravarthy’s diverse early career, including a brief stint as a junior film artiste earning Rs 600 daily, eventually led him to success as a professional Indian cricketer receiving $300 per day.