Allu Arjun: The Stylish Star Of Tollywood With Unconventional Looks

From a shaky start in ‘Gangotri’ to a National Award-winning performance in ‘Pushpa’, he conquered many hearts over the years.

Starting from Gangotri in 2003, Allu Arjun has done 26 films so far. Among these is a short film titled I Am That Change (2014) directed by the star filmmaker Sukumar.

There are special appearances, too, like the one in Shankar Dada Zindabad (2007). Before Gangotri, he played a small role in Megastar Chiranjeevi’s Daddy (2001).

Gangotri was a prestigious project in more ways than one. Apart from the film being Allu Arjun’s debut as a leading man, it was also K Raghavendra Rao’s 100th movie.

Gangotri was a success at the box office, but the actor’s performance got mixed reviews.

There was a visible rawness. The film also didn’t have any of the stylish dance steps that have become a trademark of Allu Arjun now.

In short, there was no indication of the pan-India superstar he would become one day.

As Stylish Star

Post Gangotri, Allu Arjun went through a rough patch for a year or so. But he reinvented himself both as a performer and as a Stylish Star with Sukumar’s directorial debut Arya (2004).

In Arya, the actor played a free-spirited guy who falls in love with an introverted girl Geeta (Anuradha Mehta).

Geeta is already the love interest of someone else. But Arya doesn’t give up. He pursues his love.

What made the film work were the fresh treatment and the positive attitude of the protagonist. For the most part of the movie, Arya keeps asking Geeta to just feel his love. This was a new approach that struck a chord with the audience.

Through the character of Arya, Sukumar also explored the concept of one-sided love. In fact, there is also a song that celebrates one-side lovers. His performance was a far cry from his shaky start in Gangotri.

He not only proved himself as a performer, but his dancing skills also caught the attention of the moviegoers. Since Arya, there has been no looking back for the actor. He conquered many hearts across the demographic of India.

What makes Allu Arjun’s success even more special is the fact that he doesn’t have the conventional looks of a hero, unlike Prabhas or Mahesh Babu.

Before the latest Pushpa: The Rise (2021), some of his more prominent movies included Happy (2006), Vedam (2010), Son of Satyamurthy (2015), Julayi (2012), and Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020).

An early movie that showed Allu Arjun’s potential as a serious actor was Vedam directed by Krish Jagarlamudi. In the film, he played the role of a cable operator who isn’t particularly likeable.

He pretends to be a big shot in order to marry a rich girl. There is a transformation that the character goes through and Allu Arjun doesn’t miss a single beat in capturing the different nuances.

As a stellar performer

In Happy, he is mostly a happy-go-lucky guy named Bunny. At the same time, there are some scenes that show his capability as a performer. A case in point is the scenes that he shares with Manoj Bajpai.

In one particular scene, Bunny cooks up a story of how he and Madhumati (Genelia) are madly in love and won’t be able to bear separation. He leaves the police station crying, which also leaves Manoj Bajpai in tears.

But the minute he comes out he becomes his normal self. The merger of grief and laughter was done seamlessly.

I am sure everyone in the theatre would have noticed and appreciated his talent in that particular bit. He also shined in an emotionally charged pre-climax.

Trivkram and Allu Arjun

Before Son of Satyamurthy, Trivikram and Allu Arjun teamed up for Julayi.

It was a stylish entertainer about an intelligent youngster who wants quick bucks and would take any risks to achieve his goal.

The film had many witty one-liners in trademark Trivikram style, which Allu Arjun delivered effortlessly.

Son of Satyamurthy was a different outing from Julayi. Here, he played the younger son who undergoes a life-changing transformation after the sudden death of his father.

The actor showed his versatility with an emotional performance, particularly in the scenes where he remembers his father. It was a welcome restraint from the actor.

Ala Vaikunthapurramulo, also directed by Trivikram, is a key milestone in the actor’s career.

Before Pushpa: The Rise happened, Ala Vaikunthapurramulo announced the arrival of the Stylish Star in the Hindi Market.

At its core, Ala Vaikunthapurramulo is a movie filled with regressive undertones. However, what made it work was the skilful treatment of Trivikram and Allu Arjun’s charisma.

The script relies heavily on the charisma of Allu Arjun and the actor didn’t disappoint one bit.

He excelled in portraying all the shades of Bantu. He was particularly good in his combination scenes with Murali Sharma.

He also shined in roles where the focus was not always on him. For example, in Gunashekhar’s Rudhramadevi (2015), he played a fearsome warrior called Gona Ganna Reddy.

His screen presence coupled with his dialogue delivery proved to be a much bigger attraction than Rana who had more screen time. His Telangana dialect was also an absolute delight.

Allu Arjun as Pushparaj

Now let’s come to the film that has given Allu Arjun his National Award — Pushpa: The Rise. His role in Pushpa is very different from what the actor did so far.

There is no trace of the Stylish Star even in the dance sequences. What you see is only the character and not Allu Arjun.

The role of Pushparaj is challenging in many ways starting from a particular body language to a specific dialect that the actor speaks.

He did a fantastic job of portraying a rustic and downtrodden character. On the outside, Pushpa is a tough soul, but there is also a strong vulnerable side.

Allu Arjun delivered an immersive performance that made the viewers root for him.

In these 20-odd years, Allu Arjun’s journey went from strength to strength and made him a huge pan-India Star. Here’s hoping that Pushpa 2 lives up to the massive expectations that have only increased after the national award win.

(PS: Many fans are hoping to see Allu and Aloo (Alia Bhatt) working together in a feature film. It would be a treat to watch the two National Award winners in the same frame.)

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/allu-arjun-the-stylish-star-of-tollywood-with-unconventional-looks/

From Urban Love Stories To Village Conflicts, Sukumar’s Protégés Follow His Lead

Buchi Babu Sana, Srikanth Odela, and Karthik Varma Dandu chose rustic tales for their debut films.

Director Sukumar is popular for his films which are usually set in urban scenarios. But he seems to have developed a fantasy for rustic tales now.

Right from his debut film, Allu Arjun’s Arya (2004) to Naga Chaitanya’s 100% Love (2011), Mahesh Babu’s 1: Nenokkadine (I Am the Only One, 2014), and NTR Jr’s Nannaku Prematho (To Father, With Love, 2016), the filmmaker delivered back-to-back hits that had an urban background.

Little did we know then that he would also successfully helm two rustic dramas — Rangasthalam (2018) and Pushpa (2021) — that would make the audience sit up and take notic

Rangasthalam and Pushpa have two mainstream heroes who are not particularly known for their rustiness; more so, Ram Charan. But the director’s gamble paid off in both cases.

Protégés follow in his path

Over the years, Sukumar has also nurtured some young filmmakers. Interestingly, three of them — Buchi Babu Sana (Uppena, 2021), Srikanth Odela (Dasara, 2023), and Karthik Varma Dandu (Virupaksha, 2023) — made their debut films in rustic scenarios with village issues.

Caste might not have been mentioned explicitly in their films, but it is obvious that the heroes in these movies are from lower castes. Only in Uppena (Tiday Surge), the protagonist’s caste is specifically mentioned. Viasshnav Tej plays a Dalit Christian belonging to the fishermen’s community.

In Virupaksha, Sai Dharam Tej plays an outsider who visits his ancestral village and tries to address the local issues.

But first, let us look into Sukumar’s Rangasthalam and Pushpa.

Rangasthalam

The story of Rangasthalam is set in a village of the same name. The theme is exploitation and feudalism.

A ruthless president runs the village like a tyrant. The concept of a landlord/village president treating villagers as slaves is of course not new.  There are many films with that theme.

One of Chiranjeevi’s (Ram Charan‘s father) earlier films, Ma Voori Pandavulu (1978), also dealt with the struggles against the feudal system.

However, Sukumar’s treatment made Rangasthalam much more engaging, particularly for the new generation audience.

Ramcharan as Chitti Babu

Ram Charan’s character (Chitti Babu) in Rangasthalam not only comes from a lower caste but is also partially deaf.

Sukumar dealt with this disability in a sensitive manner. He never used it to generate crude comedy.

Ram Charan Tej as Chitti Babu was adorable right from the first frame.

Rough and rustic is not something that the viewers associate with the actor. But under the guidance of Sukumar, the actor delivered his career-best performance.

The actor also got the nuances of Chitti Babu spot on, both in his body language and accent.

Pushpa

Following the success of Rangasthalam, Sukumar once again teamed with his Allu Arjun. But this time, in a very different zone.

Just like RangasthalamPushpa also featured a protagonist who is not only rustic but also an underdog.

In Pushpa, Sukumar majorly looked at the entire syndicate of the red Sandalwood business and the politics involved. It also briefly touched upon the dangers faced by the coolies from the police.

Allu Arjun as Pushpa

Chief among them is Pushpa’s characterisation and how Allu Arjun performed it.

Pushpa is one of the many coolies in the Seshachalam area, hired to chop down red sandalwood trees illegally. He is also an illegitimate son.

Despite being a coolie, there is an inherent swag in Pushpa which comes from his determination to climb up the social ladder to get over that stigma.

Beneath all the roughness, there is vulnerability whenever he is reminded of his birth status, which is brought up at various points in the film. Allu Arjun particularly shined in these moments.

He previously played a non-urban character in Gunasekhar’s Rudramdevi (2015), but that was a warrior role.

Pathbreaking films

These two films are significant in many ways.

After a long time, the viewer is taken back to the villages not to see the natural beauty or innocence of the people, the love or conflict among joint families, and the faction-based stories of Rayalaseema. But, the audience got to see some real conflict themes and exploitation in different forms.

The story of Rangasthalam might look a little outdated in comparison to Pushpa because the subject in the latter is an ongoing problem.

But as a hero, Ram Charan’s Chitti Babu is more relatable than Allu Arjun’s Pushpa because his macho image keeps growing every minute.

Now let’s look at some of the films made by Sukumar’s protégés who have also directed hinterland stories.

Uppena by Buchi Babu Sana 

A protégé of Sukumar, Buchi Babu Sana took the route of his master.

In Uppena, Vaisshnav Tej’s character (Aasi) belongs to the fishermen’s community. Here, the caste of Aasi is directly mentioned as Dalit Christian.

Buchi Babu needs to be credited for making a film like Uppena with a debutant; Vaisshnav Tej comes from the Mega (actor Chiranjeevi’s family) family though.

The first-time director did a wonderful job of exploring the bond that a fisherman shares with the sea.

Vaisshnav Tej’s Aasi also suffers from a stuttering problem. He cannot pronounce the heroine’s name properly however much he tries. Instead of Sangeetha, he calls her Santha.

However, this disability is also dealt with with a certain amount of sensitivity by Buchi Babu Sana, just like Ram Charan’s partial deafness in Rangasthalam.

Vaisshnav Tej also deserves appreciation for how he portrayed the rusticness and vulnerability of Aasi.

Dasara by Srikanth Odela 

Dasara is set against the backdrop of Singareni Coal Mines.

Nani’s Dharani is a ruffian who steals coal for a living. The influence of Sukumar is pretty visible in terms of how Srikanth Odela builds up the village’s atmospherics.

The caste politics are quite reminiscent of Rangasthalam. However, there is no denying that Srikanth has his voice, too. This can be seen in how the director built up the character of Nani.

Nani’s Dharani is timid when he doesn’t consume alcohol. But when on a high, he is altogether a different person. This trait was well used by Srikanth Odela, particularly in the later portions when Dharani decides to get over his alcoholism.

There is a local bar called Silk Bar which has a looming presence throughout the film. The director used this bar to highlight the caste dynamics, as the liquor here is reserved for upper-class men.

Virupaksha by Karthik Varma Dandu 

Much like Dasara and UppenaVirupaksha is also directed by a first-time filmmaker, Karthik Varma Dandu who assisted Sukumar.

Sukumar himself wrote the screenplay for this film.

Virupaksha is a paranormal thriller set in the fictional village of Rudravaram. The director, along with writer Sukumar, made some valid arguments against prejudices and superstitious beliefs that stem from ignorance.

Unlike the heroes in the above-mentioned films, Sai Dharam Tej’s Surya is an outsider to Rudravaram. However, the issues addressed in the film are much rooted.

Nevertheless, if we compare the above-mentioned movies to the Tamil ones, there is a significant difference in how the issue of caste is portrayed.

There it is not just about the protagonist being rustic in overall demeanour; in Tamil movies, filmmakers like Vetri Maraan and Pa Ranjith are not afraid to take the name of the caste. Asuran (2019) and Kaala (2018) are the best examples.

Having said that, for Telugu audiences, the likes of Rangasthalam and others are a definite step forward in the genre of caste-based films.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/urban-love-stories-to-village-class-conflicts-sukumars-proteges-follow-his-lead/