
Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala
Where deep conversations meet real-world wisdom. Through thought-provoking discussions with entrepreneurs, creators, and thought leaders, we explore the lessons we wish we’d learned earlier—across work, relationships, money, health, and the world around us. Rooted in The Wisdom Project, this podcast is designed for those who’ve seen some part of life pass them by, offering clarity, actionable insights, and stories that help navigate the complexities of modern life. Whether it’s redefining success, building meaningful connections, or embracing personal grow, every episode is a moment to pause,
Latest episodes

Sep 7, 2023 • 1h 2min
Psychologist Ekta Dixit's Guide To Understanding Modern Relationships
In this week’s knowledge packed chat with Varun Duggirala and relationship coach Ekta Dixit, we delve into the world of modern relationships and dating. Join us as they discuss why divorces are becoming common these days, nuances of modern relationships, catfishing in the digital age of dating, healthy conflict in relationships and how to effectively communicate with your partner and more! You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

Aug 31, 2023 • 52min
Ali Fazal Reveals His Secrets To Effortless Acting, Key To Relationships & Finding Purpose
In this week’s conversation, Varun Duggirala and Ali Fazal take us on a journey through Ali’s memories of childhood to his incredible journey as an actor. He gets candid about how he still feels like a kid in front of the camera, his unique perspective on life's 4 beat rhythm opens up about his mental health and his take on how social media is gradually turning us into slaves of technology and more! Ali Fazal is an actor, producer and model known for his versatile performances in both Bollywood and international projects. Fazal made his acting debut in 2008 with a small role in the film "3 Idiots," but his breakthrough came with the film "Fukrey" (2013). His international recognition grew with his portrayal of Abdul Karim in "Victoria & Abdul" (2017). He has also appeared in multiple hit web series like the Amazon Prime Video series "Mirzapur" (2018) which gained him immense popularity. In 2021, he started his own film production company named ‘Pushing Buttons Studios’ with his wife and actor, Richa Chadha. You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

Aug 24, 2023 • 58min
Santanu Hazarika On How Angst Inspires His Art, Love For Music & Anime
Tune into this week’s episode of Take aPause with Santanu Hazarika and Varun Duggirala as Santanu lets us in on his artist journey and how he paved his way from engineering college to being RedBull’s World Doodle Champion! From his childhood in Guwahati to how the political climate influenced his style of art to the impact of Anime and music in his art creation process and tips for beginners who want to make a living out of their art - Santanu reveals all of it and more. An engineering dropout, Santanu Hazarika is a doodle artist and an illustrator based in Delhi. Crowned the Best Doodle Artist in the 2014 Red Bull Doodle Art Competition, Hazarika has since then done independent projects for Harper’s, hip-hop artists - Raftaar and Divine, Metropolis Asia amongst others. You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

Aug 17, 2023 • 53min
Mithila Palkar On Acting, Being An Adventurous Child & Her Love For Music
Mithila Palkar and Varun Duggirala sit down for an insightful chat about Mithila and her one of a kind journey so far. From being an adventurous child to her love for the stage to how all of her biggest opportunities circle all the way back to Thespo and her experience of working with Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salman and Dhruv Sehgal - we dive deep into all of this and more in this latest episode of Take aPause Mithila Palkar is an Indian actress known for her characters in the TV series Girl in the City and Netflix's Little Things. She rose to prominence in March 2016 with her Marathi version of the "cup song". Her other works include films like ‘Karwaan’, ‘Ori Devuda’ and ‘Tribhanga’ and more. You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

Aug 10, 2023 • 59min
Tahir Raj Bhasin’s Bollywood Journey, Childhood Stories & Being An Ambivert
In this week’s episode of Take aPause, we sit down with Varun Duggirala and Tahir Raj Bhasin and learn more about Tahir and his journey to success. Tahir shares his childhood experiences of being a defence kid, growing up as an ambivert, thriving whenever he finds himself in the spotlight and moving to Mumbai without a Plan B! We also delve into his love for solo travelling, coffee, and cinema- catch all of this and more in this latest episode. Tahir Raj Bhasin was inducted into the YRF talent arsenal after his amazingly powerful lead debut in ‘Mardaani’. A self-professed adventure junkie, Tahir compliments his passion for acting with an interest in bizarre wit & exploratory travel. Tahir debuted with a negative character and has showcased his versatility over the years, most recently with his intense romantic act in ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein’ and ‘Looop Lapeta’. You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

Aug 3, 2023 • 1h 3min
Viraj Ghelani’s Secrets To Success, Relatability and Finding His Community
In this candid chat with Varun Duggirala, Viraj Ghelani reveals his journey from hosting sangeet functions to creating viral content with FilterCopy to starring in a bollywood movie! From how he got his Nani to make reels with him to his biggest learnings about the industry and how he is determined to make South Borivali the new South Bombay - we cover it all and more in this latest episode of Take aPause. You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

Jul 27, 2023 • 53min
Varun Sharma On The Importance Of Consistency, Never Giving Up & Always Taking The Chance
In this episode, Varun Duggirala sits down with Actor Varun Sharma and takes us on a ride through his life, sharing his fascinating journey from a small-town dreamer to a Bollywood sensation. Varun Sharma opens up about his childhood, reminiscing about the days when he first fell in love with acting, the invaluable life lessons he gained during his initial struggles, the incredible role his friends played in supporting him throughout his journey, how he landed his breakthrough role in Fukrey and more! Varun Sharma is a versatile India actor. Known for his comedic roles ranging from Choocha in "Fukrey" to his hilarious performance in "Chhichhore". You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

Jul 20, 2023 • 50min
Sahiba Bali On Balancing Marketing, Acting & Personal Growth
Join Varun Duggirala as he takes us into the life and experiences of Sahiba Bali, who has successfully balanced a thriving marketing career with her undeniable passion for acting. We dive deep into Sahiba's transition from becoming the host of her own Zomato show to her unique Bollywood roles and becoming a creator. From the best advice her father has given her to her biggest learning about the corporate world and tips on how to juggle between your head and heart - we uncover it all in this latest episode of Take aPause! Sahiba wears many hats- she is not only an actor having worked with Imtiaz Ali in movies or with shows on Netflix and Sony Liv but also a marketeer having led marketing projects at Zomato for 4 years and then as Associate Director at an ed-tech firm. Moreover, she is a content creator who loves travelling, food and wellness. You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

Jul 13, 2023 • 1h 5min
Gaurav Kapur’s Stories From Breakfast With Champions, Childhood & Love For Cricket
Join Gaurav Kapur and Varun Duggirala as they take us through Gaurav’s extraordinary journey in the world of cricket, entertainment, and storytelling. Gaurav reveals the story behind the inception of his wildly popular show, Breakfast With Champions, his undying love for cricket and the microphone. From being fascinated by all things weird to his entrepreneurial journey to his biggest learning about life, work and the industry - we uncover it all in this latest episode of Take aPause! Gaurav Kapur is an Indian actor, television and cricket presenter known for being the host of the pre-match Indian Premier League show, Extraaa Innings T20, Cricbuzz Live and his youtube show Breakfast with Champions. He also co-founded Kommune Arts Private Limited, a performance arts collective and has acted in numerous films like ‘Darna Mana Hai’, ‘Kai Po Che’, ‘A Wednesday!’ and more. You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message

Jul 6, 2023 • 56min
Gajraj Rao On How Your Insecurities Can Become Your Strength
Join Gajraj Rao and Varun Duggirala as they reflect on his his impeccable performances and versatile role, his love for languages, how his 11th grade sociology teacher changed his life forever and why he no longer feels guilty about the finer things in life - all in this latest episode of Take aPause! An Indian actor and Ad filmmaker Gajraj Rao, started his acting career in the early 90s with the biographical crime drama Bandit Queen in 1994. However, it was his portrayal of Inspector Dhaniram in the murder mystery Talvar that won him widespread recognition.The actor is also a part of the ad filmmaking firm called Code Red Films, which he is associated with as a director and writer. His other releases include Blackmail, Badhaai Ho, Lootcase, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and the most recent release, Satyaprem Ki Katha. You can Order Varun’s book “Everything is out of syllabus: An instruction manual for life & work “ at https://amzn.to/335QKow Follow Varun across social media platforms @VarunDuggi https://www.instagram.com/varunduggi/ https://www.youtube.com/c/VarunDuggi https://twitter.com/varunduggi And for a weekly download of mind musings and recommendations subscribe to his newsletter “Unschooled with Varun Duggirlala” at https://varunduggi.substack.com About the show “Take a Pause with Varun Duggirala” is a twice a week podcast to learn, share and unlock insights to survive and thrive in life as an adult, leader, parent and human being. It’s built on the belief that… “I know being an adult is a struggle, but we’re all on different sides of the same boat, and if we share what we’re experiencing and learn from each other, then Adulting can be as nostalgic and fun as childhood often seems”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/take-a-pause-varun-duggi/message