Allu Arjun Says ‘Pushpa 2’ Has ‘A Different Shade of Pushpa’, Hints at Pushpa 3

Allu Arjun's 'Pushpa 2' is slated to release on 15 August.

While fans eagerly await the release of Pushpa 2, actor Allu Arjun has said that Pushpa 3 is a possibility because there are plans to extend the franchise. The actor told Variety, “You can definitely expect part three, and we do want to make it a franchise. We have exciting ideas for the lineup.” 

Speaking about Pushpa 2, the actor said that viewers will get to see a ‘very different shade of Pushpa’ compared to the first film. Adding that the first installment was the “ lower end of the spectrum,” the actor said, 

“You’ll see the highest end of the spectrum in terms of characterization. So you’ll see him on a very high note, you’ll see him on a very high scale, in terms of characterization, in terms of this scale and presentation and the canvas of the problems are going to be much bigger than what it was compared to ‘Pushpa 1.’ It’s going to be a bigger canvas, and there is a different dimension to the characterization.”

Allu Arjun, Actor

While Pushpa: The Rise had a successful run at the box office, its release on OTT only increased its reach, the actor said. “More than the theatrical reach of ‘Pushpa,’ the OTT (streaming) reach has been multifold. A lot of people, maybe during the theatrical release, have only watched it once or twice. But after it’s available on OTT platforms like Amazon, people have watched it multiple times. And because of the OTT platform, there’s a lot of crossover audience from other languages, and other regions and neighboring countries.”

“I didn’t find much of a difference [between] the way the urban Indians have watched the film and the people overseas. And I think urban Indians are similar to global audiences. So, all the things that they have liked in terms of the candidness of the film or the performances, I’ve got similar feedback from urban audiences in India and overseas.”

Allu Arjun, Actor

The first installment, Pushpa: The Rise follows a labourer’s rise in the red sandalwood smuggling syndicate. The film, directed by Sukumar, stars Allu Arjun alongside Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, Sunil, and Rao Ramesh among others. The second film, Pushpa 2: The Rule is slated to release on 15 August.