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Written by: Entertainment Desk
4 min readHyderabadUpdated: Feb 12, 2026 08:56 PM IST
The irony is hard to miss. In 2014, Allu Arjun produced and starred in a three-minute film called I Am That Change. The entire point: showing a celebrity walk back to stand in a security queue like everyone else. No special treatment. No shortcuts. Just a famous person choosing to follow the same rules as regular people. Now, more than a decade later, he finds himself at the centre of a controversy claiming he travels with a long list of strict rules for how people can approach him, allegations his team has strongly denied.
The viral claims that sparked the ’42 rules’ controversy
According to allegations that went viral this week, Allu Arjun travels with a large entourage and follows 42 strict dos and don’ts that control how people interact with him.
Kaveria Baruah, a media sales professional, in a conversation with the YouTube channel Sweekriti Talks said, “Before meeting him, we were given a note with 42 dos and don’ts. They have a manager for a manager for a manager—one big manager, then another who reports to him. And they are very strict. Don’t look into sir’s eyes, don’t shake hands. One-hand distance is mandatory. You cannot use your phone. When he came in, I was sitting on the side and using my phone for work. His bodyguard jumped in front of me and snatched my phone, saying, ‘Not allowed.’ I was like, ‘Excuse me, I’m just doing my work.’ He said, ‘No phones allowed.’”
The response was swift. Allu Arjun’s team issued warnings of legal action, calling the claims false and defamatory. They’ve filed legal complaints. Co-star Rajasekhar has publicly defended him, calling the allegations “completely baseless.”
When Allu Arjun made a film about rejecting privilege
The controversy raises a question: did the person who once filmed himself rejecting celebrity privilege actually create 42 rules demanding it? His team says no. But the contrast between the 2014 film and the 2026 allegations has people talking.
I Am That Change was Allu Arjun’s own project. He produced it in 2014 and brought director Sukumar on board. The three-minute black-and-white film had no dialogue but made a clear point about celebrity privilege.
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The main scene shows Allu Arjun arriving somewhere with fans and security around him. He gets waved through, no checking required. Then, with Vande Mataram playing, he stops. He turns around and goes back to the security checkpoint. He waits in line and gets checked like everyone else.
His message at the end was clear: “Performing our duties is also patriotism. Change begins with us. I am that change.” The film got two million views when it was released and was shown in theaters. Then it mostly faded from public attention, until now.
From rejecting privilege to facing privilege allegations
Looking back at this film in light of the current controversy reveals a striking contrast. What Allu Arjun promoted in 2014, a celebrity rejecting special treatment and waiting in line like regular people, directly contradicts the allegations his team now denies.
The allegations don’t match Allu Arjun’s professional track record, which may be why his team and co-stars have strongly denied them. If the claims were accurate, there’s a question: why do his collaborators keep coming back?
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Long-standing collaborations that tell another story
Sukumar, who directed I Am That Change, has worked with Allu Arjun for nearly two decades. They recently did both Pushpa films together, which were big commercial hits. Directors don’t usually keep working with actors who are difficult on set.
Writer-director Trivikram Srinivas is preparing to work with Allu Arjun for the fourth time. Their collaboration goes back to 2012’s Julayi. In the film industry, partnerships don’t last over a decade if the working relationship is bad.
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