On the occasion of veteran director Raghavendra Rao’s birthday, Allu Arjun shared behind-the-scenes pictures on social media on Friday, expressing heartfelt gratitude to the filmmaker who introduced him to cinema. Allu Arjun wrote, "Wishing a very Happy Birthday to my guru ji Raghavendra Rao gaaru. My first director. The man who launched me into films. Gratitude forever".
Raghavendra Rao directed Allu Arjun’s debut film, Gangotri (2003), significantly shaping his early career. Reflecting his respect, Allu Arjun prominently displays a photo titled "My First Director" at the entrance of his office.
Meanwhile, Allu Arjun recently achieved massive box office success with Pushpa 2: The Rule. He is now preparing for his upcoming sci-fi action project, tentatively titled AA22xA6, directed by Atlee and produced by Sun Pictures, reportedly starring Deepika Padukone, Janhvi Kapoor, and Mrunal Thakur. A promotional video released earlier features consultations with Hollywood VFX experts in Los Angeles, highlighting the film’s ambitious visual effects.
Additionally, Allu Arjun has a mythological film in pre-production, directed by Trivikram Srinivas. Further details of both projects are awaited.