Telugu superstar Allu Arjun’s grandmother Allu Kanakaratnam, passed away today, on August 30, at the age of 94. With the last rites set to take place today at Kokapet, Allu Arjun is set to fly down from Mumbai to be with the family in Hyderabad.
Her other grandson, Ram Charan, among the who’s who of Tamil cinema, also rushed to the city after cancelling his shoot. He was reportedly working on his upcoming film, Peddi, under director Buchi Babu Sana. The star-studded family with Chiranjeevi and Allu Arvind, the actors’ respective fathers, mourn the demise of Kanakaratnam. Pawan Kalyan and Naga Babu are in Vishakhapatnam too; they are set to visit the mourning family to offer their condolences.
Allu Arjun’s bond with grandmother Kanakaratnam
As per recent sightings on social media, the superstar was close to his grandmother. In 2024, a viral video showed an emotional Kanakaratnam after her grandson returned home after being arrested in the Pushpa 2 stampede incident. In the then-viral video on social media, she was seen performing a ‘nazar’ (evilk eye) ritual. The Telugu star then did touched his grandmother’s feet after sharing a sentimental moment and exchanged a warm hug.
Allu Kanakaratnam’s husband, Allu Ramalingaiah, was also a celebrated actor and a Padma Shri awardee who passed away in 2004. He was known for five decades of his contributions to Tamil cinema. The ‘Allu Ramalingaiah National Award’ was also instituted in his memory.
The Allu family tree
The illustrious family has several industry icons carrying its name. Having major contributions to Telugu cinema, they are closely connected to the Konidela family. The patriarch Allu Ramalingaiah has appeared in over 1000 films in his vibrant 50-year career.
His daughter, Surekha, married Telugu megastar Chiranjeevi in 1980 to have their son, Ram Charan. Allu Arjun, son of Surekha’s brother Allu Arvind, is the first cousin of of Ram who appeared in films like RRR and Magadheera.