When Allu Arjun compared himself to Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Brad Pitt, asking why HIS female fan following should change

As Allu Arjun gears up for his much-anticipated film ‘Raaka’, an old interview of the actor has resurfaced, reminding fans of his massive popularity beyond Telugu cinema. Despite not starring in a Malayalam film, his reach in Kerala has always been remarkable, largely driven by the dubbed versions of hits like ‘Arya’ and ‘Pushpa: The Rise’.Speaking about his unexpected stardom in Kerala, Allu Arjun once shared with Onmanorama, “You have not been part of any Malayalam film, yet you have a great fan following in Kerala. That's probably because many of my Telugu films are dubbed in Malayalam. I know for sure that I have a huge fan base out here and I am excited about visiting Kerala and meeting as many of them as possible.”The story behind ‘Mallu Arjun’The actor also opened up about the unique nickname given to him by fans in Kerala. Clearly amused, he shared, “Oh yes! They call me 'Mallu' Arjun and I love it. I was impressed with how creative they are. In fact, I am now called 'Mallu' Arjun in Andhra Pradesh too. I guess this name is lucky for me.”Allu Arjun's take on fame, marriage and female fansAddressing whether marriage impacted his female fan following, Allu Arjun responded with confidence and humour. Drawing comparisons with global and Bollywood icons, he said, “If stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan and even Brad Pitt can continue to have a whole lot of female fans, then why can't I? I doubt if there has been a decline in the number of female fans because of my marital status.”Looking ahead to ‘Raaka’With ‘Raaka’ already creating strong buzz across markets, Allu Arjun’s pan-India appeal continues to grow. His connection with audiences in regions like Kerala stands as proof of his widespread popularity, something that is expected to further amplify with his upcoming release. The movie will hit the theatres on November 20, 2026.