Jul 28, 2026 4:53pm IST
Varun Tej on His Two-Year Break: ‘I Wanted to Take a Step Back and Recalibrate’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Varun Tej, son of actor-producer Nagendra Babu and the nephew of Tollywood superstars Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalyan, made his acting debut as a lead in 2014 with “Mukunda.” Over the years, he has been part of films across genres, including "Kanche" (2015), "Fidaa" (2017), and the comedy franchise “F2: Fun and Frustration.” His upcoming release is the Indo-Korean horror-comedy "Korean Kanakaraju" directed by Merlapaka Gandhi.
‘Korean Kanakaraju’ is your first release in two years. Was this a planned break?
Honestly, the break wasn’t planned. I wanted to take a step back, recalibrate, and be very sure about what I wanted to do next. I didn’t want to sign a film just for the sake of it. I wanted my next film to be one I genuinely believed in. When the director narrated 'Korean Kanakaraju,' I was genuinely excited. It felt fresh and entertaining, and most importantly, it gave me confidence that this was the right film to return with.
You had injured yourself during the shooting of ‘Bhari’.
Yes. Over the last three months, I had to deal with an injury, which kept me away from work for a while. So that added to the timeline as well. But looking back, I think the wait has been worth it, and I’m excited for audiences to watch “Korean Kanakaraju" finally.
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Kanakaraju is very different from you as a person. What was the biggest challenge in bringing him to life?
Every new character is a challenge, but Kanakaraju is such an entertaining character. He is loud and energetic, quite opposite to me. Getting the Anantapur-Rayalaseema dialect right itself was a big task. On top of that, I had to learn to speak Korean and perform long dialogues. Since I wasn’t familiar with Korean, getting the pronunciation, timing, and emotions right together was definitely the biggest challenge.
Physically, it wasn’t too challenging, apart from the dancing. We also wanted Kanakaraju to have a completely different look, so I grew my hair, and my hairstylist and the entire team did a fantastic job creating the character’s appearance. This character was more fun than challenging.
What was it about ‘Korean Kanakaraju’ that made you want to be a part of the film?
“Korean Kanakaraju” is a complete entertainer with horror-comedy at its core. It’s a fun roller coaster with lots of comedy, action, and a very unique story. What really excited me was the fusion of Rayalaseema and Korean cultures, something that hasn’t really been explored in our industry before. It’s a fresh idea, and I genuinely hope audiences enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.
Your last release, ‘Matka,’ proved to be a disappointment at the box office. How did its failure affect you?
I give every film my best. Failure is never easy. As an actor, you always want your films to connect with the audience, but when they don’t, it’s naturally disappointing. But after being in the industry for around 10 years, I’ve learned not to dwell on it for too long. For me, it’s always about understanding what went wrong, learning from it, and making sure I don’t repeat the same mistakes.
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A lot has changed in your life since your last release, ‘Matka.’ Your son was born in September 2025. How do you divide your time between daddy duties and work?
Yes, life has changed in the most beautiful way since our son was born. I’ve always been a bit of a homebody, and whenever I travel, it’s usually with my family. But becoming a father has completely changed my perspective on life. It makes you feel more responsible, and you start looking at the world differently. The last few months, while I was recovering from my injury, I got to spend a lot of time with my son. Looking back, the injury was a blessing in disguise. Fatherhood is easily the best feeling I’ve ever experienced, and I’m enjoying every moment of it.
Telugu cinema is going through a lot of churn. What, according to you, is the key to a hit?
At the end of the day, it’s the content that connects with the audience. The biggest challenge today is that audience preferences are constantly evolving. As filmmakers, we have to stay in touch with what they’re looking for. I also believe that when you choose a genre, whether it’s comedy, action, thriller, or a mass entertainer, you have to commit to that emotion completely instead of trying to do a little bit of everything. More than anything, a film has to keep the audience engaged. Ultimately, nobody has a formula for success, but understanding your audience and telling an honest, engaging story gives you the best chance.
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