Pushpa 2: Meet The Half-Bald Actor In Jathara Look Who Stole Allu Arjun's Thunder In Film Trailer

Allu Arjun ’s Pushpa 2 is one of the much-awaited sequel, hitting the theatres on December 5. As the release date closes, the makers are slowly slipping details about the film. On November 17, the producers unveiled the official trailer in Patna. The trailer does a great job of building excitement while keeping the main plot under wraps. However, it has received mixed reviews for many reasons. Aside from Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna , another actor caught attention. The rising star appears to be a new character introduced to the Pushpa face-off squad but splits everyone with his strong performance.

Who is Tarak Ponnappa?

Kannada actor Tarak Ponnappa portrayed a menacing character with a half-shaved head and traditional Jatara attire. With the trailer, Memes flooded Instagram as people marvelled at how unrecognisable he looked in this appearance while calling him ‘Bhaira’s koduku’. But there are many who don’t know who he is.

Born in 1991, Tarak Ponnappa is an Indian film actor and model who made his acting debut in the Kannada film Brihaspathi (2018). Although there is little information about his personal life, he has already made a mark in the industry, working alongside major stars in big films. In Devara Part 1 (2024), he plays Pasura, the son of Saif Ali Khan’s character Bhaira. 

Ponnappa also appeared in K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022) as Daya and in Amruth Apartments (2021) as Vasudev Murthy. Other films he has been part of include Yuvarathnaa (2021), where he played Inspector Azad, Kotigobba 3 (2021), Triple Whammy (2021) as Ronnie, and the short films The Times We Live In (2021) as Father and Aavarta (2019) as Anthony. He also made appearances in K.G.F: Chapter 1 (2018), Kannada Deshadol (2018), and 6 To 6 (2018).

His character in Pushpa 2: The Rule is yet to be revealed.

Netizens trolled the Pushpa 2 trailer calling it 'cringe'

Since the trailer launch, several social media users have criticised Pushpa 2 for promoting toxic masculinity through its main character. The first film faced similar backlash, and it appears the sequel will continue to glorify "problematic characters." Some have shared screenshots of dialogues and scenes on social media, calling them "cringeworthy."

While many people enjoyed the "swag" of Pushpa in the trailer, others pointed out that similar scenes in Bollywood films would likely face harsh criticism.