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Ahead of ‘Pushpa 2,’ Here Are Allu Arjun's Five Best Performances
Every role that the 42-year-old star has picked over the last two decades has come from not only a keen sense of wanting to dazzle audiences, but also reinventing himself.
From his world-famous dance moves to his much-adored fashion sense, everything ‘Stylish Star’ Allu Arjun does oozes showmanship. Look closely, however, and you’ll realize that his success and longevity stem from a lot more than just that.
Every role that the 42-year-old star has picked over the last two decades has come from not only a keen sense of wanting to dazzle audiences, but also reinventing himself. He could match the fierce loyalty and simplicity of Krishna in 2008’s Parugu with the obsessive mania of Arya in Arya 2 a year later. He could also complement the emotional fragility of Viraj in S/O Satyamurthy (2015) with the throw-caution-to-the-winds excessiveness of Gana in Sarrainodu (2016).
While Allu Arjun might not be a particularly trail-blazing performer, each of his efforts boasts of a consistent willingness to grow. In the lead-up to Pushpa: The Rule, the much-awaited sequel to his 2021 hit Pushpa: The Rise, here's a quick look at his five best performances:
Arya (2004)
At first glance, a role like Arya might seem like a cakewalk to any actor. In Sukumar’s debut film, the emotional graph of his protagonist is seemingly simple and flat. He’s a bumbling, confident and (almost) annoyingly nice college kid, who wins over the girl by remaining true to himself. He is constantly spurned by the girl, threatened by the bad guys and strong-armed by a more 'alpha' character. Yet what makes the film so endearing and an all-time classic is the sheer ease with which Allu Arjun embodies the spirit of the character, never self-conscious about playing a leading man deemed too 'sensitive' for Telugu cinema. With his phenomenal dance skills in the film, he also established himself as the successor of Megastar Chiranjeevi.
Parugu (2008)
Allu Arjun has played a range of boy-next-door characters, but his performance in Bhaskar's Parugu seems the most wholesome of all. Here, he ensures that the story, and not his stardom, is what takes centre stage. His character, Krishna, goes through an arc that has many dramatic shifts. There's the happy-go-lucky guy who is forcibly drawn into a situation that could potentially end his life. He must then turn into a fiercely loyal friend, with a physicality that's casual, intense and heroic all at once. Eventually, he is compelled to come of age and realise that he has erred, morphing into a character that's flawed but also well-rounded and realistic. Allu Arjun soaks up all these different shades with great nuance and portrays Krishna with subtlety and measure, making it one of his most mature performances.
Vedam (2009)
It isn't often that top-tier actors in Telugu cinema are offered morally questionable characters, and it isn't often that those offers are accepted. For Allu Arjun, the opportunity to break that conventional "hero" mould came in the form of 'Cable' Raju in Krish Jagarlamudi's hyperlink drama Vedam. Cable Raju lies through his teeth, stoops quite low to get what he wants and is a largely irredeemable guy: except that Allu Arjun imbues the character with authenticity and makes him feel grounded and relatable. He sheds his celebrity image with ease but what's particularly impressive is his body language, his self-assured stride, slang-heavy diction and an appearance that's simultaneously boorish and cool. He submits to the vulnerability of the character and maps its transformative arc with restraint, never making the performance feel melodramatic.
Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020)
Only Trivikram Srinivas could have made Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo, and only Allu Arjun could have done it justice. The film arrived when both had experienced their share of hits and misses, and yet everything came together perfectly here. Was it the inventiveness with which Trivikram navigated a dense, familiar plot? Or was it Allu Arjun’s ease in once again letting go of his Stylish Star persona - the loose-fitting ‘unfashionable’ clothes, the boyish charm - to become Bantu? Or perhaps the third time was really the charm for the duo? Whatever the reason, this film is endlessly rewatchable, thanks largely to Arjun, who struck top form in the company of actors like Tabu, Jayaram, Sachin Khedekar, Murali Krishna and Pooja Hegde.
Pushpa: The Rise (2021)
Pushpa Raj is a tough character to like, let alone portray. The ambitious labourer is riddled with quirks, conceits and traits that often feel unnecessary. Even then, Allu Arjun keeps it under check and delivers a crackling performance. When he wants to serenade Srivalli (Rashmika Mandanna), his rough-edged demeanour suddenly becomes nimble. When he sees his mother being disparaged, his eyes immediately convey the rabidness he feels. When he finds his nemesis defenceless, his gaze is piercing and eerily composed. Even his unbalanced gait is made to seem a valid part of the performance, and not an 'add-on'.