Allu Arjun calls playing a woman in Pushpa 2 ‘the most alpha thing’ he has done

Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 is one of the highest-grossing Indian films. The film’s Gangamma Jathara sequence continues to remain a talking point. Allu Arjun is now opening up about wearing a saree, jewellery and makeup for the scene. The actor called playing a woman “the most alpha thing” he has ever done.
Allu Arjun on wearing saree for Pushpa
The actor features on the cover of Forbes India’s Showstoppers 2026. Speaking about the impact of Pushpa, Allu Arjun said its success changed how he looked at Indian cinema. “Pushpa’s success has inspired me to take Indian cinema to another level,” he said.
In the second part, Allu Arjun is seen wearing a saree, jewellery, makeup and blue body paint as Pushpa takes part in the Gangamma Jathara ritual. The sequence was also an important part of the film’s story. Allu Arjun spoke about how director Sukumar initially suggested the unusual look and how he embraced the challenge. “I would say the most alpha thing I’ve ever done is to play a woman,” he stated.
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. Only one 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.
Allu Arjun’s upcoming movies
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.
Allu Arjun also has AA23 with filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj in the pipeline. Meanwhile, Pushpa 3: The Rampage is expected to continue the story of Pushpa Raj.