'One Of My Actresses Motivated Me': Allu Arjun On Being First South Actor To Have Six Pack Abs & Break Taboo

With his sculpted physique and effortless swagger, Allu Arjun has long been admired not just for his acting and dance moves but also for setting new fitness standards in Indian cinema. At the WAVES Summit 2025 held on May 1 at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre, the Pushpa 2 fame offered a rare glimpse into the discipline, challenges, and motivation behind his iconic six-pack abs.

Speaking during the session 'Talent Beyond Borders', Arjun opened up about how he became one of the first actors in the South to break traditional body image norms, sharing an honest and humorous backstory behind his transformation.

'Someone motivates me... I took the personal challenge'

Reflecting on his early years in the industry, Arjun discussed how having six-pack abs was once a rarity in South Indian cinema. He shared, "Back in the day, around maybe almost 20 years back, it was something that was never done before by any other South actor. And it said that, you know, culturally, it's not accepted, and there were many taboos around that."

He further shared the motivation behind having six-pack abs. He stated, “I knew that it's a great sign; if you just do it for once, it just needs one person to break the jinx, you know."

"Someone motivated me to do that by saying that I don't think any South actors can come up with six packs. It's one of my actresses who I worked with in that and then I took the personal challenge, and I just did it for my people," he concluded.

Arjun on his fitness journey: 'It's extremely tough'

When asked about how he maintains his athletic form, especially when performing complex stunts and dance routines, Arjun shared, "Honestly, fitness is a very key aspect for every actor, because especially being an Indian actor, you have to dance, you have to fight, and you don't know when the schedule might start up with a song. It can start up with a fight, but you have to be physically prepared for everything."

The actor also revealed that he began training in his late teens, and the years of conditioning with experiences and injuries have helped him refine his physicality. "It's extremely tough, to be honest. It's extremely tough, but it's worth it when you see big space and you have millions of people that are appreciating your effort."

Arjun's commitment to health isn't just for the camera; it's a lifestyle. When asked if he trains even when not shooting, the actor replied without hesitation, "Yes, irrespective of whether we have shoot or shoot." He also revealed that his fitness session "get little extreme". Arjun noted, "It could be a little more training-specific, but it's pretty much challenging for everybody."

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