Varun Grover
Varun Grover (born 26 January 1980) is an Indian lyricist, writer, stand-up comedian and filmmaker. He won the award for Best Lyricist at the 63rd National Film Awards in 2015. He co-created the political satire group Aisi Taisi Democracy, and his debut film, All India Rank, closed the 52nd Rotterdam International Film Festival, in 2023.
Varun Grover
w:User:RadhikaGopal TulseaPictures · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Born
- 26 January 1980
- Birthplace
- Sundernagar, Himachal Pradesh, India
- Occupation
- * Lyricist
- Education
- Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi
- Spouse
- Raj Kumari
- Nationality
- India
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Varun Grover (born 26 January 1980) is an Indian lyricist, writer, stand-up comedian and filmmaker. He won the award for Best Lyricist at the 63rd National Film Awards in 2015. He co-created the political satire group Aisi Taisi Democracy, and his debut film, All India Rank, closed the 52nd Rotterdam International Film Festival, in 2023.
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Varun Grover was actor, comedian and film actor of India nationality. Varun Grover was born in 1980.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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In this article
Biography
Biography
Grover also performs stand-up comedy, writes poetry and acts.
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Key facts
Key facts
• Born — 26 January 1980 • Birthplace — Sundernagar, Himachal Pradesh, India • Occupation — * Lyricist • director • screenwriter • stand-up comedian • actor • Years Active — 2004—present • Notable Works — Masaan, Udta Punjab, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Sacred Games, RRR • Education — Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi • Spouse — Raj Kumari
Early life and education
Early life and education
Grover was born in Sundernagar, Himachal Pradesh, to a school-teacher mother and army engineer father, and belongs to a Punjabi Hindu family. His paternal grandfather originally lived in Faisalabad, a city in the Punjab Province of British India. After the partition of India, Faisalabad became a part of the West Punjab province of Pakistan, due to which he moved to Jagadhri in present-day Haryana, where he settled and eventually started a business of sign painting for shops. In the early 1950s, a cinema hall opened in Jagadhri wherein he went on to design posters for the hall. He instructed his two elder sons, Varun's uncles and his father's brothers, to also make such posters. This led the family to gain an interest in watching movies, many of which they watched at the same cinema hall, in which Varun's grandfather also took his father. Varun accredits this for his interest in films, as he "inherited the same addiction from [his] father". Varun spent his initial years in Dehradun, Uttarakhand and Sundernagar, before moving to Lucknow for his adolescent years. He studied civil engineering at Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi, graduating in 2003. He began his career as a software consultant with the multinational company Kanbay in Pune, where he worked for nearly a year. In 2004, Varun Grover moved to Mumbai to pursue his passion for writing. The following year, he secured an opportunity to script for the television series The Great Indian Comedy Show. In 2018, collection of short stories for children, called Paper Chor was published in Hindi.
Music
Music
In 2017, Varun Grover released Beete Dino Ke Geet, a song in collaboration with US-based producer Krishna Chetan.
Comedy
Comedy
In 2025, Varun Grover released his standup special Nothing Makes Sense.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Credited as • 2004–2006 — The Great Indian Comedy Show — Writer • 2007 — SAB Ka Bheja Fry • 2007–2008 — Ranvir Vinay Aur Kaun? • 2008–2009 — Oye! It's Friday! • 2008–2009 — 10 Ka Dum • 2009 — Ghar Ki Baat Hai • 2009–2013 — Jay Hind! • 2018–2019 — Sacred Games — Writer and Executive producer
Identity
Identity
Varun Grover is recorded with the occupation film screenwriter. Recorded as screenwriter, comedian, lyricist, actor and film director.
Books
• Paper Chor (2018), Jugnoo Prakashan • Biksu (2019), Ektara India • Karejwa (2020), Bakarmaxindia
Films
• Year — Title — Credited as • Lyricist — Writer — Director — Actor — Notes • 2006 — Ghoom — Dialogues • 2009 — Accident on Hill Road — Dialogues • 2011 — That Girl in Yellow Boots • 2012 — Peddlers • Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1 • Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2 • 2013 — Prague • 2014 — Katiyabaaz • Ankhon Dekhi • 2015 — Dum Laga Ke Haisha — Won National Film Award for Best Lyrics • Bombay Velvet • Masaan • 2016 — Zubaan • Fan • Raman Raghav 2.0 • Udta Punjab • 2017 — Newton • 2018 — Kaala • Sui Dhaaga • 2019 — Sonchiriya • 2021 — Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar — Won Filmfare award for Best Dialogue • 2022 — RRR — Lyricist for the Hindi version • Badhaai Do • Monica, O My Darling • Samrat Prithviraj • Kiss — Directorial Debut, Short film • Qala • 2023 — Dunki — rowspan="2" — rowspan="2" — rowspan="2" — rowspan="2" • 2024 — Merry Christmas • All India Rank — Directorial Debut, Feature Film • Jigra • Chashma • 2025 — Superboys Of Malegaon • Homebound — Dialogues
Discography
• Title — Year — Artist — Album — Notes • "Yeh Ek Zindagi" — 2022 — Achint Thakkar — Monica, O My Darling • "Suno Jaanejaan" • "Bye Bye Adios" • "Farsh Pe Khade" • "Hari Har" — Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy — Samrat Prithviraj • "Hadd Kar De" • "Makhmali" • "Yoddha" • "Shauq" — Amit Trivedi — Qala • "Noodle Sa Dil" — 2023 — Mayukh-Mainak — All India Rank • "Sab Achhi Baatein Hain" • "Choice Hi Nahin Hai" • "Thehar Zara" • "Haq Hai" • "Chal Ve Watna" — Pritam — Dunki • "Merry Christmas" — 2024 — Merry Christmas • "Nazar Teri Toofan" • "Raat Akeli Thi" • "Dil Ki Mez" • "Tenu Sang Rakhna" — Achint Thakkar — Jigra • "Jiya" • "Jigra" • "Jigra" (Acoustic) • "Pan India Area King" — Co-written with Achint Thakkar • "Phoolon Ka Taaro Ka" — R. D. Burman, Achint Thakkar — Co-written with Anand Bakshi
Awards and nominations
• Illustration — Grover at the 63rd National Film Awards receiving the Best Lyrics award for Dum Laga Ke Haisha from President Pranab Mukherjee • Award — Year — Work — Category — Result • Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Award — 2013 — "Womaniya"–Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1 — Best Lyrics • 2016 — "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage" • Filmfare Awards — 2016 — "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage"–Dum Laga Ke Haisha — Best Lyricist • 2022 — Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar — Best Story • Best Screenplay • Best Dialogue • 2025 — All India Rank — Best Debut Director • "Raat Akeli Thi" – Merry Christmas — Best Lyricist • Global Indian Music Academy Awards — 2016 — "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage"–Dum Laga Ke Haisha — Best Lyricist • Best Film Song • Mirchi Music Awards — 2014 — "Aayi Bahar"–Ankhon Dekhi — Raag-Inspired Song of the Year • 2016 — "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage"–Dum Laga Ke Haisha — Lyricist of the Year • 2017 — Udta Punjab — Album of the Year • National Film Awards — 2016 — "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage"–Dum Laga Ke Haisha — Best Lyrics • Times of India Film Awards — 2016 — Dum Laga Ke Haisha — Best Lyrics • Zee Cine Awards — 2016 — "Moh Moh Ke Dhaage"–Dum Laga Ke Haisha — Best Lyricist
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Directorate of Film Festivals. 63rd National Film Awards.
- 2.Pal, Divya. National Award winning lyricist Varun Grover recalls initial reactions to 'Moh Moh Ke Dhaage'. 28 March 2016.
- 3.Varun Grover (Civil 2003) wins award as Best Lyricist at 63rd National Film Awards 2016.
- 4.The worst time for comedy is the best time for comedy: Varun Grover. India Today. March 25, 2016.
- 5.Varun Grover on adapting Sacred Games, and why pro-establishment comedy is against Indian culture. Firstpost. 2019-09-05.
- 6.All India Rank IFFR. iffr.com.
- 7.Vinod Kambli was reduced to his assumed ('lowest') caste identity. 12 July 2020.
- 8.Akshay Manwani (24 July 2016), "Varun Grover interview: ‘The lack of respect for writers stays with you, but also fuels you’", Scroll.in. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- 9.Kommune India. Sab Achhi Baatein All India Rank Varun Grover - Spoken Fest. 2024-02-21.
- 10.Brutal censors give another route to creativity: 'Masaan' writer Varun Grover. The Indian Express. 2015-10-07.
- 11.Liberal in his thoughts. Daily Post India.
- 12.EXCLUSIVE: Varun Grover on His Journey, the Film Industry, & Sexism in Standup Comedy. The Better India. 2017-03-20.
- 13.Jha, Lata. Masaan man Varun Grover's journey: A civil engineer turned Bollywood scriptwriter. livemint.com. 2015-08-05.
- 14.Neeraj Ghaywan, Varun Grover to donate National Award prize money to farmers. The Indian Express. 2016-05-04.
- 15.Jha, Lata. Masaan man Varun Grover's journey: A civil engineer turned Bollywood scriptwriter. Mint. 5 August 2015.
- 16.Review: The Criminal Life in Mumbai in 'Sacred Games'. The New York Times. 6 July 2018.
- 17.Sacred Games review: The Devil of the Details. The Indian Express. 30 June 2018.
- 18.Greer, Robert. Interview Varun Grover: Of Paper Thieves and Nuclear Ducks. The London Magazine. 2019-08-15.
- 19.Indian music and cinema are tough nuts to crack: Varun Grover. mid-day.com. 27 May 2017.
- 20.Varun Grover. Varun Grover Comedy Special Nothing Makes Sense. 2026-01-02.
- 21.Loved the simplicity of 'Tu kisi rail si…': Varun Grover. The Indian Express. 2015-08-06.
- 22.Huffington Post. Yes, 'Bombay Velvet' Is Pretty Atrocious, But We Should Not Be Happy About It. 15 May 2015.
- 23.Brutal censors give another route to creativity: 'Masaan' writer Varun Grover. The Indian Express. 2015-10-07.
- 24.Varun Grover, lyricist of many Phantom films, SLAMS Vikas Bahl for sexually abusing a female employee!. dna. 2017-04-11.
- 25.Before watching Padmaavat, check out comedian Varun Grover's hilarious take on the film.
- 26.Chashma. Gubbara Entertainment.
- 27.Rediff.com. 'I don't want to be Anand Bakshi'. 26 February 2015.
- 28.Idiot Box | Red Chillies Entertainments. 21 October 2011.
- 29.Sacred Games writers didn t want to load the script with sex or violence. mid-day. 2018-07-15.
- 30.Winner - Producers Guild of India. Producers Guild of India. 5 October 2023.
- 31.Winners of 11th Renault Sony Guild Awards.
- 32.Check out the nominees for Filmfare Awards 2016. DNA. 12 January 2016.
- 33.67th Wolf777news Filmfare Awards 2022 with Government of Maharashtra. Filmfare.
- 34.Nominations for The 70th Hyundai Filmfare Awards 2025 With Gujarat Tourism: Full List Out. Filmfare. 26 September 2025.
- 35.National Awards winner, 2016. The Times Of India.
- 36.NDTV. Zee Cine Awards: Complete List of Winners. 21 February 2016.
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