Megastar Chiranjeevi is a legendary actor who has risen to great heights through his hard work and has become a guiding light for many, proving himself as a megastar in humanity as well. Many actors in his family have inherited his legacy and proven themselves with his support. However, only two have reached great heights standing on their own talent: Ram Charan and Allu Arjun.
Chiranjeevi’s wife Surekha’s brother is Allu Aravind, whose son is Allu Arjun. Bunny, who made his debut as a lead actor with the film ‘Gangotri,’ found his footing in the industry with ‘Arya,’ creating his own image. Especially known for his extraordinary dancing skills, he has climbed up the ladder, becoming a top hero by performing diverse roles and reaching audiences of all kinds. However, he couldn’t break out from under Chiranjeevi’s shadow and was considered a member of the mega family.
Starting with the release of ‘Race Gurram’ in 2014, Arjun’s attitude began to change. He started behaving as though he didn’t want to continue being seen as a member of the mega family. Following the massive hits of ‘Son of Satyamurthy,’ ‘Sarrainodu,’ and ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo,’ this feeling grew stronger, and he openly distanced himself from the Konidela family.
Arjun bought a one-of-a-kind caravan named ‘Beast,’ built a luxury house, and showcased them. He declared his family as the Allu family during the unveiling of his grandfather Allu Ramalingaiah’s statue in Palakollu. With ‘Pushpa,’ the scene changed entirely as the movie became a blockbuster nationwide, and Arjun won the National Best Actor award, a first for a Telugu actor.
Overnight, he became a pan-India star, commanding a remuneration of 120 crores for ‘Pushpa-2,’ making him the highest-paid star. At this point, the narrative of family bonds ended. Arjun reached a level where he and his family were separate from the Konidela family. Occasional birthday tweets were the only interaction, and any direct meetings with the family were rare and often due to his father Aravind’s insistence. Ultimately, he succeeded in establishing the Allu family while ensuring the shadow of Chiranjeevi’s family didn’t fall on him. The Konidela family members, noticing this change, have kept to themselves.
In this context, the Andhra Pradesh Lok Sabha elections have escalated the family feud. Chiranjeevi’s brother, Powerstar Pawan Kalyan, is a key political figure. While he contested from Pithapuram, Arjun’s friend Shilpa Ravi Chandra Kishore Reddy contested from Nandyal on behalf of YSRCP. Supporting his friend, Arjun conducted a roadshow in Nandyal but didn’t even visit Pawan.
On the same day, Ram Charan took his mother to Pithapuram, met his uncle, and declared his support, addressing the fans. Arjun merely tweeted for Pawan, angering the fans. The election results saw Pawan Kalyan’s complete victory, contributing to Chandrababu Naidu becoming the Chief Minister and Modi becoming the Prime Minister, which brought immense joy to the mega family. Meanwhile, Arjun’s friend suffered a heavy defeat in Nandyal.
Recently, Pawan Kalyan, seeking blessings from his mother, brother, and sister-in-law, visited Hyderabad with his family, where all Konidela family members were present except the Allu family. This widened the rift further, leading to fan wars on social media. Some fans claimed Arjun owes his career to Chiranjeevi’s grace, sparking counterarguments from Allu’s fans.
While comparing the two equally successful actors is natural, Ram Charan is known for his humility and kind demeanor, much like his father. In contrast, Arjun is perceived as aggressive and arrogant, often not listening to others and acting superior, which might become problematic for him. Currently, the Konidela family holds significant influence in Andhra Pradesh. Chiranjeevi’s Padma Vibhushan award, his close relationship with Prime Minister Modi, and Pawan Kalyan’s political prominence as the future Deputy CM of AP are significant points of contention for Arjun.
In reality, there’s nothing wrong if someone grows with the help of another; it’s a matter of happiness for both parties. Chiranjeevi’s family never distanced Arjun; he chose to distance himself. Power, position, and money are never permanent. Humility and dignified behavior earn true respect. Staying close to the Konidela family wouldn’t diminish the Allu family’s prestige.
Moreover, being part of a large film family with several big stars brings collective respect. If Arjun’s future films unfortunately fail, what will his situation be? Who will support and console him? Poor Allu Aravind is caught in the middle, unable to face his brother-in-law and unable to speak to his son. The recent election results in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh serve as a lesson on the consequences of arrogance and pride.