Fiery, ruthless, ambitious— Allu Arjun’s character Pushpa Raj is anything but understated. His outfits in Pushpa: The Rise (2021) depicted that. Now, as the team is shooting the last leg of Pushpa 2: The Rule in Hyderabad, costume designer Sheetal Sharma says that he has created a distinct look for Arjun. Director Sukumar’s brief for the leading man’s avatar was simple: since the character has gone from a local sandalwood smuggler to an international force, his appearance should reflect the transition.

“I didn’t design costumes for Pushpa: The Rise. In the sequel, while his look remains rustic, Pushpa has become richer and more powerful as his smuggling has gone beyond India to Indonesia and Japan. So, his look now is more flamboyant, colourful and over-the-top. His wardrobe has become more expensive, but in a showy manner,” explains the designer.

While the sequel went on floors in October 2022, the costume department began its work in August that year. Right at the beginning, Sukumar made it known that the costumes had to reflect tidbits of the character’s journey in the first instalment.

“In Pushpa, we showed him patting his back with bloodied hands. From that, we got the idea to make a shirt [with a bloodstained handprint] for Pushpa 2. His shades have the axe motif, while his belt has a buckle with a rotating axe. His boots are made of fake snakeskin, as Allu Arjun is conscious about not using leather or animal-based products. His shirts have prints of wild animals and jungles to reflect that the protagonist comes from the forest.”

From the film’s first poster that was released in 2023, it was obvious that the makers didn’t believe in half-measures. It had Arjun sporting a look that borrowed heavily from avatars of Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali.

Sharma decodes it, stating, “From the colours [used] to his accessories, it was a look inspired by Kali-meets-Shiva. There is a Goddess called Gangamma, who is believed to have emerged from Shiva’s tandav. We drew inspiration from that.”

Also starring Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna, the sequel is slated to release in December 2024. But before that, don’t be surprised if the makers roll out a special merchandise line. “Sukumar was clear that everything should be custom-made. The makers are planning to come up with a Pushpa clothing line, but it’s still in the discussion stage.”