In a recent interview, actor Allu Arjun discussed the memorable Jathara sequence from his movie, ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’. He mentioned wearing a saree and expressed his initial apprehension about not appearing ‘macho’.

Allu Arjun reflected on his notable scene from ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ where he wore a saree. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the 42-year-old broke down the widely recognized Jathara sequence from the film and admitted that he felt ‘scared’ about donning a saree.

Allu Arjun received the National Award

Arjun, who received a national award for his role as Pushpa Raj in the first installment, noted that the challenge was to present a macho image while wearing a saree. He commended his director, Sukumar, for capturing the subtleties of his character effectively.

He shared, “One thing about the Jathara sequence is that, initially, when he told me, I was frightened. Yes, that was my immediate response. We had just completed a very macho photo shoot, and he mentioned, ‘It’s not working’. Then he suggested, ‘I want you to wear a saree, dress like a lady’.”

The well-known Telugu actor revealed that he initially hesitated and felt a degree of ‘fear’, but he soon began to consider the idea from a different perspective. “We started creating sketches. And then we could visualize it. I slowly began to embrace the concept, because there’s always a bit of fear at the outset. “At first, there was fear, followed by exploration,” he remarked.

Arjun described how he came to perform in a saree, and the scene became one of the most discussed highlights of the film. It gained enough attention to feature prominently on the first poster of ‘Pushpa 2’. “Eventually, we realized this would be the unique selling point of the film for me as an actor. I understood that it was a significant challenge. If I successfully pull this off, I would gain considerable acclaim. Sukumar garu (sir) and I agreed that even when he’s in a saree, he must still appear very macho; that alpha-ness should remain intact,” he elaborated.

When questioned about his concerns that wearing a saree might diminish his macho appeal, he responded, “Alpha-ness resides in the mind. It cannot be stripped away. It’s an inherent quality.” Arjun went on to discuss the skill of balancing drama with stardom. He noted that even when Pushpa wore a saree, he ensured that his machismo was still evident.

“Even if I’m in a saree, we are careful to maintain my stardom. There’s a harmonious balance; even in the poster, you can see there’s a gun in my hand. We tailored the saree so that my arms were visible. “There are numerous commercial elements at play,” the actor explained. The interview also featured Allu Arjun addressing the pressure of achieving another blockbuster success at the box office, his passion for Indian cinema, and his confidence in the audience’s preferences.