In a video released on his 41st birthday last week, Allu Arjin roars: “Ab rule Pushpa ka”. His followers are, of course, tweeting back in approval. That’s predictable for a mega star who began as a child artiste in the film ‘Vijetha’ in 1985 and rose to dizzy heights of popularity all over India after the stupendous success of ‘Pushpa: The Rise’ in 2021.
For the sequel (Pushpa, The Rule) to be released later this year, the Telugu star has reportedly hiked his fee to `85 crore, which is nearly double the amount he got for the first film. Brands have been quick to read the tea leaves.
As per Hansa Research’s 2022 brand endorser report, which covered more than 550 celebrities across domains, the actor was the top-ranked southern male celebrity with a recognition score of 85%, beating the likes of Vijay and Suriya. Most importantly, he was the only southern celebrity that made it to the All India Top 10 celebrity list.
He is ranked 20th in the overall list of India’s top celebrities in 2022, as per Kroll. The recent Indian Institute of Human Brands (IIHB) south research report, which covered 18 celebrities from south India, put him in the second spot with a TIARA (trust, identify, attractive, respect and appeal) score of 79.
That’s reason enough for brands such as Coca-Cola, KFC and Zomato rushing in to make him their face. The actor currently enjoys an endorsement portfolio of at least 10 national brands across consumer, food & beverage and technology industries.
He charges between Rs 6-7 crore per endorsement, according to industry insiders, which puts him in the same bracket as Bollywood actors Akshay Kumar and Amir Khan, and a notch below Shah Rukh Khan.
Industry observers say Allu Arjun cementing his position in the national consciousness has occurred in tandem with south Indian cinema solidifying its national presence in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, with blockbusters such as ‘KGF: Chapter 2’, ‘Pushpa’ and ‘RRR’.
With a collection of more than Rs 360 crore worldwide, ‘Pushpa 1’ emerged as one of the highest-grossing Indian films in 2021 and is also ranked among the highest-grossing Telugu films of all time.
The actor will soon be seen in Venu Sriram’s ‘Icon’, Siva Koratala’s untitled action film and in Prashanth Neels’s (who directed blockbuster KGF) untitled film. Such is the craze for the actor that specialised media consulting firm Ormax Media has put ‘Pushpa: The Rule’ at No. 1, ahead of ‘Pathaan’ at No. 2, ‘Tiger 3’ at No. 3, ‘Jawan’ at No. 4 and ‘Dunki’ at No. 5, in its list of top five most-awaited Hindi movies to release after December 2022.
Given his consistent performance on screen and his massive social media following of over 50 million, Allu Arjun is on track to building an enduring national appeal and doubling his endorsement portfolio sooner than later, says Aviral Jain, MD, valuation advisory services, Kroll. “Brands want to associate with stars who are popular and successful and have the potential for long-term appeal,” he elaborates. “New-age brands chasing rapid growth need instant awareness, and hence, they are more active in signing up emerging stars with a strong social media presence.”
Some, however, advise caution. While his recognition level has gone up substantially, Sandeep Goyal, MD, Rediffusion and chief mentor, IIHB, says the actor has some distance to cover before he can be regarded as a true-blue national icon. “His successes so far have been visible but not universally impactful. Recognition and recall create marketability but his exposure in the rest of India is still very sporadic,” he says.
While all-India brands have started using him for the novelty factor, some experts say, his popularity is not yet mass. Naresh Gupta, co-founder & managing partner, Bang In The Middle, says while Allu Arjum is surely the man of the moment, his “success” will be considered “real” when brands he endorses begin to feel that he has helped them grow and they renew their contracts with him year after year. “He is largely a ‘new’ icon; he will need more visibility to be a real pan-India icon. That will mean more movies and maybe a few successful Hindi movies too,” he adds.
Everyone agrees though that the actor’s energetic dance moves, slouching body language and his gravelly dialogue delivery make him a crowd favourite. “While he may not have gained national stardom yet, he definitely has the style and charisma to become one very soon,” sums up Rutu Mody-Kamdar, founder, Jigsaw Brand Consultants.