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

Varun Chakravarthy’s Early Career Struggles

Varun Chakravarthy, now a well-known Indian cricketer, once earned just Rs 600 a day working as a junior artiste in the film industry before establishing himself in cricket. In a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on the podcast Kutti Stories with Ash, Varun shared insights about his unusual journey.

Transition from Films to Cricket

Varun’s path was unconventional, as in his 20s he explored architecture, music, films, and cricket before settling on the latter. At 25, he attempted to enter the film industry, inspired by movies like Varanam Aayiram and Subramaniapuram.

Film Industry Experience

He described his experience on the set of the cricket-themed movie Jeeva:

“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.”

Current Cricket Career

Today, Varun Chakravarthy earns a daily allowance of $300 as a professional Indian cricketer, marking a remarkable rise from his early days.

Varun’s Journey Highlights

Author’s summary: Varun Chakravarthy’s journey from earning Rs 600 as a junior artiste to securing a $300 daily allowance in cricket highlights his perseverance and diverse talents before rising in Indian cricket.

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The Indian Express The Indian Express — 2025-11-06

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