When Pushpa Star Allu Arjun Was Asked If He’s Worried About His Public Image For Playing A Sandalwood Smuggler, “People Are Smart Enough To Understand…”
The character has negative shades, too, so was he worried it would jeopardise his stardom?
When Allu Arjun’s Pushpa: The Rise was released in 2021, the audience was blown away by how entertaining and thrilling the movie was. Directed by Sukumar, the film also stars Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil. No one will forget the craze when Pushpa was released. Arjun’s fans were obsessed with the songs, the dialogues, and his character’s walk in the Telugu action thriller.
In Pushpa, Allu Arjun plays a sandalwood smuggler. Even though he’s the protagonist, Pushpa Raj has some shades of grey. In an interview in 2021, the Arya actor was asked if he’s worried that playing a sandalwood smuggler will affect his public image. The character has negative shades, too, so was he worried it would jeopardise his stardom?
Allu Arjun On Playing Pushpa Raj & Trying Something Different
Allu Arjun had no qualms about playing a sandalwood smuggler in Pushpa. The actor answered, “I don’t think that’s much of a problem because sandalwood smuggling has come down a lot. This is a film that happens in a different period. When people watch the film, they will also see a title saying that the characters are fictitious. I don’t think people would take that (the role) into consideration: They are smart enough to understand that it is a movie.”
In the same interview with Onmanorama, Allu Arjun was asked how Pushpa Raj is a rugged character. It’s different from the stylish and charming characters he played in the past. Arjun’s character is also something rarely seen in Tollywood. Was he apprehensive of playing a rugged Pushpa Raj? Arjun responded, “As an actor, I always feel that we have to keep experimenting. People have seen me be stylish and charming on-screen. I have done that. But this is one area that I haven’t touched. Many Telugu films haven’t explored much in this space, and I wanted to be one of the first actors to do that.”
Allu Arjun As Pushpa Raj
“There is always a certain line of glamour that is followed in commercial films. I wanted to let go of that and see how it would work,” the actor added.
Meanwhile, Pushpa: The Rise became a huge hit, and now all eyes are on its sequel, Pushpa 2: The Rule. Fans can’t wait to see what Allu Arjun’s character does next. The audience is also curious how the story will shape up for Rashmika Mandanna’s Srivalli and Fahadh Faasil’s SP Bhanwar Singh. Pushpa 2 is scheduled to hit the theatres on August 15, 2024.
