Allu Arjun, who scripted history with the gigantic success of the Pushpa franchise in India, said playing a woman in Pushpa 2 is the most alpha thing he has ever done.
During a conversation with Forbes India for its Showstoppers 2026 edition, Allu Arjun said that Pushpa's success has inspired him to take Indian cinema to another level.
On the constant debate over stardom vs content, Allu Arjun said, “Average content doesn't fly anymore. So, the key is to deliver great content.”
Talking about handling the box-office pressure, Allu Arjun said, “Pressure is a privilege. Very few people in the country have that privilege. So, pressure is a blessing.”
Allu Arjun on Playing a Woman in Pushpa 2
Allu Arjun appears in a saree in the film as part of the Gangamma Jathara sequence. The ritual is linked to the worship of Gangamma Thalli, a local goddess in the Tirupati region, and traditionally involves men dressing as women.
For the sequence, Allu Arjun is seen wearing a saree, jewellery, makeup and blue body paint as Pushpa takes part in the ritual.
The sequence plays a crucial part in the film's narrative.
In an earlier interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor revealed he was initially scared but eventually knew it would be the USP of the film.
“First, there was fear, and then there was exploration. And then after a point, we knew this is going to be the USP of the film as an actor. I knew it is a challenging thing for me as an actor. If I do this, I will walk away with a huge—how do I say—with a great name. The only thing that Sukumar garu (sir) and I thought was that even if he's dressed in a saree, he has to look very, very macho; the alpha-ness should not be lost,” he added.
Next Film
The actor will next be seen in Atlee's Raaka. It is a sci-fi film directed by Atlee and produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures. The film stars Allu Arjun and Deepika Padukone in the lead roles and is expected to release in December 2027. With a massive budget of over Rs 1,000 crore, the film is expected to be one of the biggest cinematic experiences.
