Actor Rajasekhar Aningi has spoken out in defence of Allu Arjun amid ongoing online debate over the reported 42 rules.
The controversy erupted after a clip from brand strategist Kaveri Baruah’s appearance on the Sweekriti Talks podcast circulated online, where she spoke about an alleged list of instructions shared ahead of a brand collaboration meeting.
Reacting to the rumours, the veteran star shared a video on X and Instagram, denying the claims and backing his co-star, citing his experience during the shooting of Pushpa: The Rise and Pushpa 2: The Rule.
In his post, he wrote, “Condemning the fake propaganda against #AlluArjun garu! Having acted alongside him in #Pushpa I can vouch for his character. He is a true gentleman on set. These ‘rules’ rumours are purely for cheap publicity. Don’t believe them! We stand with the Icon Star!”
He further stated, “I condemn talking like this without proof about a National Award winner. I worked with him on Pushpa 1 and 2 closely for 4 years. During break times, production boys pass around snacks in basins. Artists like me have assistants who bring the snacks to us separately. But he’s the kind to not think twice about eating from the basin with the spot boys.”
Meanwhile, Baruah’s comments that sparked the discussion included the claim, “Before meeting him, we had a note which had 42 dos and don’ts: don’t look into sir’s eyes, don’t shake your hands.”
Moreover, she added, “South stars comes with entourage. Before meeting him, we had a note which had 42 dos and don’ts. And they have manager ka manager ka manager. They are very strict, like ‘don’t look into sir’s eyes, don’t shake your hands’.”
Following the backlash and the spread of the viral clip, the superstar’s team issued a statement calling the allegations baseless and confirmed that legal action had been initiated against the strategist.
Interestingly, the podcast episode has since been removed from YouTube and Instagram, with the podcaster claiming that it was taken down after alleged harassment from the actor’s team.