Before becoming famous, an IIT graduate survived on Rs 5,000 a month by writing fake fan letters. Who is Varun Grover?

Before becoming one of India’s most popular lyricists, comedians, and filmmakers, Varun Grover quietly honed his skills behind the scenes in Mumbai’s television industry. Like many struggling writers, he started with unpaid or low-paid jobs that rarely brought credit or recognition. His early days involved ghostwriting for TV shows, where the work was demanding, the pay was low, and the acknowledgment almost non-existent. Recently, he talked about how he used to write for Smriti Irani.

Varun Dhawan opens up about his first job

Varun’s very first writing assignment was for a Star Plus show called Parde Ke Peeche, he told Scroll in an interview. The program’s concept was simple, anchors would read fan letters sent to popular TV stars and respond to them on air. However, most of these fan letters were actually written by Varun and his co-writer Rahul Patel. They also wrote the replies for the anchors to read.


During the conversation, he recalled one memory that Varun Grover clearly remembers is about a letter they wrote asking if Tulsi Virani, Smriti Irani’s famous character from Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, really liked khichdi in real life, just like in the show. A camera team took this question to Smriti on set, and she answered it sincerely and with full honesty. He shared that she always responded to such questions in a very genuine and thoughtful way.


Despite doing all the writing, Varun and Rahul earned just Rs 2,500 per episode, split between them, Rs 1,250 each. Meanwhile, the official credited writers who never showed up on set received much higher pay and public acknowledgment. Varun Grover further added, "In comparison, the official credited writer took home Rs 15,000 per episode. We asked him to at least pay us Rs 3,000 for every episode since it’ll be a round figure. We’ll feel at least a little bit respected then. But he never budged. That’s what happens when you don’t study maths properly. He didn’t realise the aesthetic of numbers."

In addition to writing the fan letters, Varun also scripted interview questions and expected answers for the show, further developing his writing skills. He spent about a year doing such ghostwriting work before getting a real break. When the production house behind Parde Ke Peeche launched The Great Indian Comedy Show, Varun and Rahul saw an opportunity. They submitted their own comedy sketches and stand-up bits, which were accepted. This marked Varun’s first credited writing role, and the show featured political and social humours.


More about Varun's journey from TV to films

After this breakthrough, Varun’s career in television took a new shape. He contributed to popular shows like SAB Ka Bheja Fry, Ranvir Vinay Aur Kaun?, and Salman Khan’s 10 Ka Dum. Over time, Varun expanded beyond TV comedy.

Varun Grover is an IIT graduate and studied Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) in Varanasi. After his TV stint, he became a celebrated lyricist, penning hits like Moh Moh Ke Dhaage from Dum Laga Ke Haisha, wrote acclaimed films such as Masaan, and eventually made his directorial debut with All India Rank.