MUMBAI
Allu Arjun starrer ‘Pushpa’ has emerged as one of the biggest hits in recent times. Not just the original Telugu drama, but even the film’s dubbed Hindi version earned big at the box office. Beyond Allu Arjun’s shining act as a smuggler, his chemistry with Rashmika Mandanna is being massively lauded by fans. Interestingly, ‘Pushpa’ was offered to these five actors before Allu Arjun and Rashmika, take a look:
Disha Patani
There was a strong buzz that director Sukumar was planning to rope in Disha Patani for ‘Pushpa’. The makers were reportedly in touch with the actress for a special song wherein she would shake a leg with Allu Arjun. It is unclear why Disha didn’t end up with the song, which eventually landed with Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
South actors who rejected Bollywood films
Mahesh Babu
Allu Arjun does complete justice to the character of Pushpa and seems like a perfect fit. But turns out he was not the original choice of the makers. Director Sukumar had first approached Mahesh Babu to play the lead role in this action entertainer. However, the duo reportedly had creative differences and ‘Pushpa’ eventually emerged as Allu Arjun’s biggest hit. Praising Allu Arjun’s performance, Mahesh Babu had shared on Twitter, “@alluarjun as Pushpa is stunning, original and sensational… a stellar act.”
Nora Fatehi
Nora Fatehi has several foot-tapping numbers to her credit and the makers of ‘Pushpa’ were keen to cash in on her success with their entertainer. However, the actress demanded a whopping fee for her performance. According to a news portal, Nora Fatehi demanded that she be paid Rs 2 crore for the dance song. The makers didn’t give in to the demand and roped in Samantha, who floored everyone with her performance in ‘Oo Antava’.
Samantha
Samantha Ruth Prabhu made temperatures soar with her performance in the special song ‘Oo Antava’. Her ravishing style and stunning dance moves have taken the internet by storm. According to a news portal, Samantha was offered the lead role of Srivalli in ‘Pushpa’ but eventually it was Rashmika Mandanna who bagged the part.
Vijay Sethupathi
Vijay Sethupathi was approached by the makers of ‘Pushpa’ to essay the antagonist opposite Allu Arjun. The actor had later confirmed that he had to opt out of the Sukumar directorial because of his busy date diary. In an interview, Vijay Sethupathi had stated that he had conveyed his call sheet issues in person with Sukumar and explained why he couldn’t do the movie. Kannada actor Dhananjaya ended up playing the part.
