Allu Arjun Biography – an Indian Actor who known as Stylish Star
Allu Arjun is an Indian actor known for his works mainly in Telugu cinema. One of the highest paid actors in India, Allu Arjun is also known for his dancing skills. He is a recipient of several awards including a National Film Award, six Filmfare Awards and three Nandi Awards.
| Quick Info→ | |
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| Real Name: | Allu Arjun |
| Profession: | Indian Actor |
| Birthplace: | Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India |
| Spouse: | Sneha Reddy |
| Age: | 41 |
Allu Arjun (born 8 April 1982) is an Indian actor known for his works mainly in Telugu cinema. One of the highest paid actors in India, Allu Arjun is also known for his dancing skills. He is a recipient of several awards including a National Film Award, six Filmfare Awards, and three Nandi Awards. He has appeared in Forbes India‘s Celebrity 100 list since 2014. He is popularly referred to as “Stylish Star”.
Allu Arjun made his debut with Gangotri in 2003. He rose to prominence starring in Sukumar‘s cult classic Arya (2004) for which he earned a Nandi Special Jury Award. He consolidated his reputation with the action films Bunny (2005) and Desamuduru (2007). In 2008, he starred in the romantic drama Parugu for which he won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.
Allu Arjun went on to star in notable films such as Arya 2 (2009), Vedam (2010), Julayi (2012), Race Gurram (2014), S/O Satyamurthy (2015), Rudhramadevi (2015), Sarrainodu (2016), DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham (2017), Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (2020) and Pushpa: The Rise (2021). His performances as a lower-class cable operator in Vedam and as a carefree street-smart man in Race Gurram won him two Filmfare Awards for Best Actor –Telugu. He also won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Prince Gona Ganna Reddy in Rudhramadevi. He received high acclaim for his performance in Pushpa: The Rise, which emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film in 2021 and ranks among the highest-grossing Telugu films of all time. The film also earned him his first National Film Award for Best Actor, and his fourth Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu.
Allu Arjun endorses a number of brands and products and is a celebrity brand ambassador for the Pro Kabaddi League and for the streaming service Aha. In 2021, Allu Arjun became the brand ambassador of Sri Chaitanya Educational Institutions.
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Allu Arjun Biography
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| Born | 8 April 1982
Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India
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| Other names | Bunny, Mallu Arjun |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2001–present |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse |
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| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
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| Family | Allu–Konidela |
| Awards | Full list |
Table of Contents
Early life (Allu Arjun Biography)
Allu Arjun was born on 8 April 1982 in a Telugu family in Madras (present-day Chennai) to film producer Allu Aravind and Nirmala. His paternal grandfather was the noted film comedian Allu Ramalingaiah who appeared in over 1000 films. Their native place is Palakollu of West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. Allu Arjun grew up in Chennai before their family moved to Hyderabad in his 20s.
He is the second of three children. His elder brother Venkatesh is a businessman while his younger brother Sirish is an actor. His paternal aunt is Surekha Konidela, the wife of actor Chiranjeevi. He is the first cousin of actor Ram Charan.
Career (Allu Arjun Biography)
Career beginnings (1985–1986; 2001–2007)
After playing as a child artist in Vijetha (1985) and as a dancer in Daddy (2001), he made his adult debut in Gangotri. The film was directed by K. Raghavendra Rao with his father Allu Aravind producing, along with C. Ashwini Dutt. Praising his acting performance, Jeevi of Idlebrain criticized his looks in the film and added that “Arjun should choose roles that amplify his strength and nullify his weaknesses.” He then appeared in Sukumar’s Arya. He plays the eponymous lead, an outgoing and free-spirited boy falling in love with Geetha (Anu Mehta), an introverted girl who is on the shield of another person Ajay (Siva Balaji). The film proved to be his breakthrough, earning a first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and won the Nandi Special Jury Award and the CineMAA Award for Best Actor (Critics). The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over ₹30 crore, with a production budget of ₹4 crore. In 2006, the film was dubbed and released in Malayalam in Kerala. Owing to the film’s success, he received major acclaim across the region and the Malayali people.
He next starred in V. V. Vinayak’s Bunny playing the eponymous lead, a college student. Being successful at the box office, critics praised his efforts, mannerisms, and dancing. His next film was A. Karunakaran’s musical love story Happy. The film did well at the box office, especially in the overseas markets. A critic appreciated his dancing skills and performance but felt that his character was a typical happy-go-lucky guy.
Experimentation of genres (2007–2010)
He then starred in Puri Jagannadh’s action film Desamuduru in which he played the role of Bala Govindam, a fearless journalist who falls for a woman with a darker past. The film was a commercial success, fetching him a Santosham Film Award, a CineMAA Award, and his second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. The same year, he made his second cameo appearance alongside Chiranjeevi, in the song “Jagadeka Veerudiki” from the film Shankar Dada Zindabad.
His next film was Bhaskar’s Parugu, where he played the role of Krishna, a happy-go-lucky man from Hyderabad who helps his friend to elope with his love, only to experience the wrath of the woman’s father and the emotional struggle he felt. Idlebrain wrote: “Allu Arjun is pretty excellent in the first half as the characterization in the first half is vibrant and needs loads of energy. He carried the entire first half on his shoulders. He excelled in the emotional scenes in the second half.” Writing for Rediff.com, Radhikha Rajamani stated that “Arjun performs well though he is rather subdued.” Allu Arjun won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and his second Nandi Special Jury Award.
He had two releases in 2010. The first was Gunasekhar’s Varudu, in which he starred alongside Arya and Bhanu Sri Mehra. The film received mixed reviews from critics and was a box-office bomb. His second release of the year was the highly acclaimed hyperlink anthology film Vedam. It was his first A-rated film in India, and the story takes inspiration from the 26/11 Mumbai blasts at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, in Mumbai. He played the role of Anand “Cable” Raju, a cable operator hailing from the Jubilee Hills (Hyderabad) slum. The film also features Anushka Shetty, Manchu Manoj, and Manoj Bajpayee in other prominent roles. His performance received appreciation from film critics, with The Times of India calling it “scintillating” and Idlebrain.com calling it as “best in his career”. A critic also commented that “He’s a good dancer and does justice to his role.” Another critic wrote that “Allu Arjun is excellent as the groom who goes all out to get his bride back. His mass dialogues are good in the second half.” He achieved his second Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in the film.
Further success (2011–2013)
He next appeared in V. V. Vinayak’s action film Badrinath (2011), in which he played the role of Badri, a modern-day Indian samurai who is assigned to protect the Badrinath Temple by his Guru (Prakash Raj), to whom he is very loyal. Allu Arjun undertook intensive martial arts and sword fighting training in Vietnam which marked his first pairing with Tamannaah. He grew his hair out for his look as a warrior in the film. It is his second A-rated film in India after Vedam (2010), on account of graphic action violence. The film completed a 50-day run in 187 movie theaters. His performance and character received mixed reviews. A critic of The Times of India wrote that “Arjun hardly has any scope to emote as he was mostly pushed into action scenes and song sequences.”
The next year, he starred in Puri Jagannadh’s action thriller Iddarammayilatho, playing Sanju Reddy, a guitarist with a dark past, alongside Amala Paul and Catherine Tresa. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu praised his performance in the action sequences and dance moves in various songs in the film, adding “Allu Arjun uses his agility to his advantage in dances and stunt episodes”. Another critic wrote that “True to his tag of “stylish star”, Allu Arjun looks trendier than ever before. His character of a guitarist, who is a street performer in Barcelona, was at its best sketchy and looks completely different from his previous films. He once again proves that he is a good actor and probably because of the action director’s meticulous planning, he makes perfect expressions in all the fight scenes.” The film marks his second and last collaboration, with Puri Jagannadh after Desamuduru (2007).
Commercial success (2014–2018)
In 2014, he appeared in a cameo role in Vamsi Paidipally‘s action thriller film Yevadu, alongside Kajal Aggarwal. Y. Sunita Chowdary of The Hindu, in her review, wrote that “Allu Arjun shows what an actor can do even in a short role, in the few minutes he packs his experience, internalizes the character, and makes an impressive exit even as he loses his identity.” His next film was Surender Reddy’s Race Gurram, in which he played Allu Lakshman “Lucky” Prasad, a carefree guy. He joined the production of the film in May 2013. The film was successful at the box office, with the film being Allu’s first ₹100 crore grosser. Writing to Deccan Chronicle, Suresh Kavirayani felt that Allu Arjun stole the show with his energetic performance and also praised his dancing skills in the film. Ranjani Rajendra also praised his dance moves, comic acting, and performance in the action sequences, but felt that the story is predictable and routine. For his performance, he won his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and was nominated for the SIIMA Award for Best Actor (Telugu) for the second time after Julayi. Allu Arjun produced and acted in the short film I Am That Change, which was released in August 2014. The film was directed by Sukumar, to spread awareness on individual social responsibility. Upon its release, the short film received a viral response online and was acclaimed by many including celebrities for its concept and execution. It was screened in theaters across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Allu Arjun next appeared in Trivikram Srinivas’s S/O Satyamurthy (2015), which was released on 9 April 2015. The film was a commercial success, with critics praising his performance. His performance in the film earned him his seventh nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu. Following the film, he next played Gona Ganna Reddy in Guna Sekhar’s biographical action film Rudhramadevi (2015). The film based on the life of Rudrama Devi, is the first Indian 3D historical film. He has learned and was seen speaking in Telangana Telugu, for the character in the film. The Times of India called his performance “impeccable” and “whistle-worthy”. Due to the wide response and popularity of the character Gona Ganna Reddy, in 2021 director Guna Sekhar said that he will be directing a film solely based on the character, with Allu Arjun in the lead role, after Shaakuntalam. Rudhramadevi, won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Telugu and became the only actor to win both the Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu and the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Telugu. He also won three other awards for his performance, including Nandi Award for Best Character Actor.
The next year, in May, his film under the direction of writer-turned-director Vakkantham Vamsi, Naa Peru Surya, Naa Illu India was released. He played Surya, an Indian Army soldier who has anger management issues. Allu Arjun spent considerable time learning the tricks and stunt sequences from professionals, especially for the dance numbers and action sequences. Upon release, the film received mixed reviews and was successful at the box office. A critic called his performance Allu Arjun’s “career-best” and cited it as the “biggest strength of the film”. Vyas of The Hans India stated that “Allu Arjun is supremely talented and has delivered an energetic performance in the movie.” Hindustan Times‘s Priyanka Sundar opined that “Allu Arjun tries to do his best in the shoes of a soldier, but at places, we see that it looks forced.”
Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo and Beyond (2019–present)
In December 2018, his next project Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo was announced, with Trivikram Srinivas as the director. Pooja Hegde was selected to play the female lead role, thus marking his second collaboration with Hegde after DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham. He joined the production of the film in April 2019. Produced jointly by Allu Aravind and S. Radha Krishna, the film marks the third collaboration of Allu Arjun and Trivikram after Julayi (2012) and S/O Satyamurthy (2015). The film was released in January 2020. Allu Arjun’s performance received highly positive reviews. A review posted by Rohit Mohan on Koimoi said that “Be it comedy, action, emotions, style and of course dance, the star actor nails it in the film, as ‘Bunny’ made to audience groove to his tunes with his act.” Film Companion felt that Allu Arjun’s performance in the board-room scene was the highlight of the film. Bhavana Sharma of the International Business Times opined that Allu Arjun went into the skin of the character. The film is his career’s highest-grosser and stands among the highest-grossing Telugu films. Allu Arjun’s dance performance in the song “Butta Bomma” received wide response.
In 2021, he re-united with Sukumar, after nearly a decade for Pushpa: The Rise. The film is based on the red sanders smuggling in the Seshachalam Hills in Andhra Pradesh and Allu Arjun plays Pushpa Raj, a coolie-turned-smuggler, alongside Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna. The film was released in December 2021 to mixed reviews but his performance was praised. A reviewer from The Indian Express wrote, “Allu Arjun walks away with the film with his strong performance. He embraces his deglamorized look and delivers a memorable performance.” The Times of India critic Neeshita Nyayapati stated: “Pushpa: The Rise is Allu Arjun’s show all the way. He shines in playing this rustic character that is hard on the surface but vulnerable in ways that others don’t see.” The film proved to be a major commercial success, grossing over ₹3.5 billion, and emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film in 2021. He won his fourth Filmfare Award for Best Actor – Telugu for his performance in the film. A sequel titled Pushpa: The Rule is also in production.
Other work and media image
His popularity was documented in two Telugu music videos. The first one is a rap song, composed by S. Thaman and performed by Roll Rida and Harika Narayan with the lyrics written by Roll Rida and The Hyderabad Nawabs. The music video titled “Allu Arjun Rap Song” was released in January 2021, through Aditya Music label. The other one is titled “Thaggedhe Le” which was performed and written by Roll Rida, with the music composed by Pravin Lakkaraju. It was released in April 2021 with the title being adapted from Allu Arjun’s popular dialogue from his film Pushpa: The Rise.
Allu Arjun was featured in the GQ in their listing of the most influential young Indians of 2020. He was the ‘Most Searched Male Celebrity’ in 2020 on Yahoo! India. Allu Arjun was the most searched Telugu film actor on Google Search, several times. Arjun became the 19th most searched Asian on Google in mid-year 2022.
Allu Arjun is also a charcoal artist. He started a campaign against the smoking of tobacco, in 2021. He said “I wanted to draw people’s attention towards the ill-effects of smoking. We have constructed very incorrect notions of what’s cool and hip. I want to effect a change, no matter how small it is.” In 2021, Allu Arjun became the brand ambassador of Sri Chaitanya Educational Institutions.
Personal life (Allu Arjun Biography)
On 6 March 2011, Allu Arjun married Sneha Reddy in Hyderabad. They have two children—a son, Ayaan, and a daughter, Arha. Allu Arha is set to make her debut in the upcoming film Shaakuntalam in the role of Prince Bharata. In 2016, he started a nightclub named 800 Jubilee in collaboration with M Kitchens and Buffalo Wild Wings.
In 2019, Allu Arjun celebrated Sankranthi in his native town Palakollu, Andhra Pradesh, and announced ₹20 lakh for the development and renovation works of the Ksheera Ramalingeswara Temple, one of the five Pancharama Kshetras. The temple management has constructed Rathasala, Vahanasala, and Gosala, and renovated the temple chariot with the funds provided. He also campaigned for his uncle Pawan Kalyan‘s Jana Sena Party in Palakollu in the 2019 general elections.
Filmography (Allu Arjun Biography)
Films
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Vijetha | Saratha’s Son | Child artist |
| 1986 | Swathi Muthyam | Sivayya’s Grandson | Child artist |
| 2001 | Daddy | Gopi | Cameo |
| 2003 | Gangotri | Simhadri | Debut as lead actor |
| 2004 | Arya | Arya | |
| 2005 | Bunny | Raja (Bunny) | |
| 2006 | Happy | Bunny | |
| 2007 | Desamuduru | Bala Govind | |
| Shankar Dada Zindabad | Himself | Guest appearance in the song “Jagadeka Veerudiki” | |
| 2008 | Parugu | Krishna | |
| 2009 | Arya 2 | Arya | |
| 2010 | Varudu | Sandeep “Sandy” Mohan Ram | |
| Vedam | Anand “Cable Raju” Raj | ||
| 2011 | Badrinath | Badrinath | |
| 2012 | Julayi | Ravindra “Ravi” Narayan | |
| 2013 | Iddarammayilatho | Sanjay “Sanju” Reddy | |
| 2014 | I Am That Change | Himself | Short film; Also producer |
| Yevadu | Satya | Cameo | |
| Race Gurram | Lakshman “Lucky” Prasad | ||
| 2015 | S/O Satyamurthy | Viraj Anand | |
| Rudhramadevi | Gona Ganna Reddy | ||
| 2016 | Sarrainodu | Gana | |
| 2017 | DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham | Duvvada Jagannadham Sasthri / DJ | |
| 2018 | Naa Peru Surya, Naa Illu India | Surya | |
| 2020 | Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo | Bantu | |
| 2021 | Pushpa: The Rise | Pushpa Raj | |
| 2024 | Pushpa 2: The Rule † | Pushpa Raj | Filming |
| TBA | AA22 † | TBA | Announced; Fourth collaboration with Trivikram |
Music video
| Year | Title | Role | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | “Memu Aagamu” | Himself | Armaan Malik & Tri.be |
Discography (Allu Arjun Biography)
| Year | Song | Album | Co-singers | Composer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | “Prapancham Naaventa Vasthunte” | Vedam | Anuj Gurwara, Achu and Chaitra | M. M. Keeravani |
| 2012 | “Pakdo Pakdo Remix” | Julayi | Devi Sri Prasad | Devi Sri Prasad |
Awards and nominations (Allu Arjun Biography)
National Film Awards
- National Film Award for Best Actor for Pushpa: The Rise (2023).
CineMAA Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Gangotri | Best Male Debut | Won |
| 2005 | Arya | Best Actor – Jury | Won |
| 2008 | Desamuduru | Won | |
| 2009 | Parugu | Best Actor | Won |
| 2015 | Race Gurram | Won | |
| 2016 | Rudhramadevi | Best Actor – Jury | Won |
Filmfare Awards South
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Arya | Best Actor – Telugu | Nominated |
| 2008 | Desamuduru | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Parugu | Won | |
| 2010 | Arya 2 | Nominated | |
| 2011 | Vedam | Won | |
| 2015 | Race Gurram | Won | |
| 2016 | S/O Satyamurthy | Nominated | |
| Rudhramadevi | Best Supporting Actor – Telugu | Won | |
| 2017 | Sarrainodu | Best Actor – Telugu | Nominated |
| Best Actor (Critics) – Telugu | Won | ||
| 2022 | Pushpa: The Rise | Best Actor – Telugu | Won |
IIFA Utsavam (Allu Arjun Biography)
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | S/O Satyamurthy | Performance In A Leading Role – Male | Nominated |
| 2017 | Sarrainodu | Nominated | |
| Rudhramadevi | Performance In A Supporting Role – Male | Won |
Mirchi Music Awards South
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Race Gurram | Youth Icon of the Year | Won |
Nandi Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Gangotri | Special Jury Award | Won |
| 2004 | Arya | Won | |
| 2008 | Parugu | Won | |
| 2010 | Vedam | Won | |
| 2015 | Rudhramadevi | Best Character Actor | Won |
National Film Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Pushpa: The Rise | Best Actor | Won |
Sakshi Excellence Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Sarrainodu | Most Popular Actor of the Year – Male | Won |
| 2021 | Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo | Won | |
| 2022 | Pushpa: The Rise | Won |
Santosham Film Awards (Allu Arjun Biography)
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Gangotri | Best Male Debut | Won |
| 2005 | Arya | Best Young Performer | Won |
| 2006 | Bunny | Won |
South Indian International Movie Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Julayi | Best Actor – Telugu | Nominated |
| 2015 | Race Gurram | Nominated | |
| – | Stylish Youth Icon of South Indian Cinema (Male) | Won | |
| 2016 | Rudhramadevi | Best Actor (Critics) – Telugu | Won |
| Best Actor – Telugu | Nominated | ||
| 2021 | Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo | Won | |
| 2022 | Pushpa: The Rise | Won |
South Scope Lifestyle Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Parugu | Best Actor | Won |
| 2010 | Arya 2 | Best Stylish Actor | Won |
| 2011 | Vedam | Best Actor | Won |
TSR– TV9 National Film Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Race Gurram | Best Hero | Won |
| 2017 | S/O Satyamurthy | Won | |
| Rudhramadevi | Best Outstanding Performance | Won |
Zee Cine Awards Telugu
| Year | Nominated work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | DJ: Duvvada Jagannadham | Favorite Actor | Won |
