Sukumar’s Real-Life Inspiration Behind Pushpa’s Name
Director Sukumar reveals how a real-life smuggler influenced Allu Arjun’s character name in Pushpa: The Rise;
Director Sukumar, who gained nationwide fame with the Pushpa franchise starring Allu Arjun as red sanders smuggler Pushpa Raj, recently shared an intriguing backstory about the character’s name.
Speaking at an award ceremony in Chennai, Sukumar revealed that he initially planned to make a documentary on red sanders smuggling, a long-standing issue in South India. During his research, he interacted with several smugglers, one of whom was named Pushpa Raj. Struck by the uniqueness of the name, Sukumar decided to use it for Allu Arjun’s character in Pushpa: The Rise.
When asked which Tamil actor he would choose for a grand-scale film, Sukumar responded in Telugu, with SJ Suryah translating his words into Tamil. He admitted that he hadn’t watched many films of Vijay or Ajith but expressed his admiration for Karthi, saying, “His face speaks volumes.” Interestingly, SJ Suryah’s translation created an impression that Sukumar was considering Vijay, Ajith, and Karthi for a big project.
Karthi, already well-known among Telugu audiences through Oopiri and the dubbed versions of his Tamil films, continues to strengthen his presence in both industries. Sukumar’s admiration for him hints at a possible exciting collaboration in the future.
