- Varun Tej is recovering from knee surgery and spending time with his 10-month-old son Vaayuv Tej Konidela
- He married actor Lavanya Tripathi in 2023 and became a father in September last year
- Marriage and fatherhood gave him a new sense of direction and responsibility
Telugu star Varun Tej is on a break while he's recuperating from his knee surgery but he's not complaining. Every spare minute of his is spent with his 10-month-old son Vaayuv Tej Konidela and he just can't seem to get enough.
In an exclusive chat with NDTV, the Korean Kanakaraju hero opens up about being a husband and father and how priorities have changed in his life.
Ask him about his marriage (2023) to actor Lavanya Tripathi and the birth of his son in September last year and Varun Tej reveals, "I think it (marriage and becoming a father) has given me a sense of direction. Before that, you're not responsible - you take your dad and mom's call once in a while. But I always felt at the right age, it's very important to have the right companion; something to fight for and something to work for. You work hard, you see success or failure, you come back home and need to have someone to share these things with. I'm a guy who needs a companion. I think it (marriage) happened at the right time - my parents still don't agree, they think it's late."
Becoming a father has also drastically changed his life and the way he sees the world today. "Having a son changed my entire perspective of the world; understanding what's important, what's not; your priorities change. I feel like it's given me a great sense of direction, and some stability. My dad always kept telling me that you will not understand what I'm talking about until you have a son or a kid. After I had my son, I got the love part - I'm just too protective of him and I need to see him every day. As a father, I want to set the right example for my kid. It doesn't matter if the success is big or small, I want him to see that his dad's an honourable man. It can be in films, the way I lead my life or the way I behave with people around me - I just want to set the right example for my child," Varun Tej says emphatically.
Now that he's happily married and has a family, what is the one advice he'd give people looking to get married? The Tholi Prema star says philosophically, "I think you shouldn't force anyone into marriage - you need to have that calling. I have a couple of friends who are single and I was pushing them to get married. But ultimately, you should know if marriage is the right thing for you. And when you meet the right person, you'll know it, no one has to tell you. I think marriage is a good thing for people who are seeking a companion. For people who are happy with themselves, it's okay; it's just a social norm that you're supposed to get married. There's no pressure; there are no rules, right? It's about being peaceful and happy (single or married)."
Also Read | 'Ram Charan Is Like A Father Figure, Would Love To Work With Him': Varun Tej