Known for his deep, meaningful lyrics in Hindi films and his witty and frank sarcastic stand-up comedy, Varun Grover, is an epitome of versatility. He has also won numerous awards and accolades for his profound work. The lyricist and comedian has been very vocal about his political views as well. While his work and career trajectory reveal a volume about him, the popular artist has kept his personal life completely away from the limelight.
Grover was born on January 26, 1980, in Sundernagar, Himachal Pradesh. His mother was a schoolteacher and his father served in the Indian army as an engineer. He had a diverse upbringing with a mixture of cultures from various places.
Early Life and Career
Grover spent his early years in Sundernagar and Dehradun, before relocating to Lucknow during his adolescent years. After completing his education in Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU), Varanasi, in 2003, he initially worked as a software consultant at a multinational company in Pune.
However, his true passion lay in writing, and in 2004, he made the decision to pursue a career in Mumbai’s entertainment industry.
Breaking into the showbiz
Varun Grover’s breakthrough arrived in 2005 when he became one of the staff writers for the popular TV series, The Great Indian Comedy Show. This marked the beginning of his career in writing for television. He later contributed to various other shows, including Dus Ka Dum and Oye It’s Friday, among others. While working on these shows, Grover was patiently waiting for an opportunity to write for films.
Writing for Hindi cinema
The turning point in Varun Grover’s career came when he was offered the opportunity to write the lyrics for Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur. The film’s chartbuster songs like Womaniya, Hunter, and Jiya Tu showcase Varun’s lyrical prowess. He further solidified his reputation as a lyricist by penning the catchy titular song Jabra Fan for Shah Rukh Khan’s 2016 film Fan.
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In 2015, Grover achieved critical acclaim with his work on the dialogues of the film Masaan, which earned him the prestigious International Federation of Film Critics Award. This was a testament to his ability to craft compelling and emotionally resonant stories through his writing. His portfolio continued to expand with contributions to projects such as Udta Punjab (2016), the OTT sensation Sacred Games (2018), Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar (2021), and many more.
Horizons beyond writing
Besides writing and music, Varun Grover made a cameo appearance in Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet. Grover is also an accomplished author, with books like Paper Chor (2018), Biksu (2019), and Karejwa (2020) to his credit.
In 2023, he made his directorial debut with All India Rank, which premiered at The International Film Festival of Rotterdam and received critical acclaim from the jury.
Career as a stand-up comedian
One of his standout talents is stand-up comedy. Alongside Sanjay Rajouri and Rahul Ram, he co-founded the comedy group Aisi Taisi Democracy.
Grover ranks stand-up comedy as his ultimate favourite among all of his works. He describes the thrill of performing in front of an audience, the fear of failure, and the instant feedback as an adrenaline rush that keeps him motivated.
Grover also maintains two YouTube channels – one featuring his stand-up comedy videos and the other, titled Serious Varun, showcasing a podcast series called Fursat mein Serious Baatein.
Here are some of the most popular videos on his YouTube channel:
1. A stand-up that talks about his perspective and commentary on the Indian elections:
2. Padmaavat & The Parrot: Grover talks about the controversy around the movie Padmaavat and other things.
3. Security Check: He talks and shares hilarious anecdotes about his misadventures during the regular airport security check:
Today, Grover stands as one of the top-earning lyricists in the Indian film industry. His most recent engagement is a solo stand-up tour, named Nothing Makes Sense. The much-awaited tour is set to entertain audiences in multiple Indian cities, including Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, and more from September 8, 2023 onwards.
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