Does Allu Arjun’s Pushpa have a Disability?

Telugu superstar Allu Arjun is making waves with the blockbuster movie Pushpa: The Rise all over India. In this mass entertainer, Allu Arjun plays Pushpa Raj — a red sandalwood smuggler in the Seshachalam Hills of Andhra Pradesh. He rises from being an ordinary coolie to the level of a prominent name among smugglers. Among other things, what has caught viewers’ imagination is the Pushpa Walk — the signature walk of Pushpa (especially during the Srivalli song). Allu Arjun’s character Pushpa seem to have a disability in the movie. His left shoulder appears to be dislocated and stuck upward. This also makes him appear to have spinal deformity or scoliosis. Many movie-goers wonder whether Allu Arjun or the character Pushpa has a disability. Here’s the answer.

Allu Arjun does not have any such disability as it may appear in the movie. Also the producers of the movie have confirmed that the character of Pushpa Raj also doesn’t have any such disability. The famous Pushpa Walk is nothing but a mannerism in which Allu Arjun walks. The actor has said in many interviews that he feels sprained in his shoulder as he had to maintain the dislocated appearance for long during the shoot. It took him two years to prepare for the character.

As the basic definition of disability says, the functional and social life of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa does not seem to be affected by his titled shoulder. So, even if the character’s signature appearance is permanent, it can not be really called as a disability. Pushpa dances, fights (like one man army!), lifts heavy load (he is a coolie!), romances Srivalli, runs all terrain, drives heavy-duty vehicles and what not!

Disability is a subjective matter. A person may have a medical condition but disability arises when her functional and/or social life gets adversely affected. Such is not the case with Allu Arjun’s Pushpa. Therefore, we can conclude that Pushpa does not have any shoulder related disability.