Allu Arjun's grandmother Allu Kanakaratnam passes away at the age of 94, actor rushes back

In the early hours of August 30, the Allu family lost its guiding light. Allu Kanakaratnam, the revered grandmother of superstar Allu Arjun and wife of the iconic comedian and actor Allu Ramalingaiah, passed away peacefully at the age of 94. Her passing, though expected due to age-related ailments, has sent ripples of sorrow through one of South India’s most celebrated film dynasties.

For those outside the inner circle, Kanakaratnam was rarely in the spotlight. Yet within the family, she stood as a symbol of resilience, tradition, and quiet strength. Kanakaratnam is remembered within the family as a quiet but steady presence — one who witnessed the rise of a film dynasty from close quarters.

The news of her death reached Allu Arjun while he was away in Mumbai, immersed in a hectic filming schedule for his upcoming project with director Atlee. Known to share a close bond with his grandmother, Arjun halted production immediately and made his way back to Hyderabad. Witnesses at the airport described him as visibly shaken, surrounded by tight security but emotionally exposed.

Elsewhere, Ram Charan, Arjun’s cousin and fellow megastar, was in the middle of filming an elaborate song sequence in Mysore. Despite the scale of the shoot, which involved over a thousand background dancers, Charan reportedly called off the day’s schedule to be with his grieving family. He too is expected to arrive in Hyderabad to take part in the final rites.

As tributes begin to pour in privately, the Allu household in Kokapet has become the center of quiet mourning. Family members are gathering not just to say goodbye, but to hold space for each other—sons, daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren bound by shared grief and memory.

Last year, the public caught a rare glimpse of Kanakaratnam’s affection when a video circulated showing her performing a protective ritual for Allu Arjun. This was shortly after he had returned home following a night in jail in connection with a stampede incident at Sandhya Theatre. In that moment, it was clear: for her, he was never a star, only a beloved grandson.

Now, the curtain quietly falls on the woman behind the scenes. Her legacy lives on in the values she passed down, in the strength of her family, and in the countless lives she touched without ever needing to take center stage.