The first look of Allu Arjun in Atlee’s upcoming sci-fi thriller Raka has left fans stunned. Sporting long claws and a hairy, beast-like physique, the Pushpa star is venturing into an unexplored territory of “humanoid monsters.” While Allu Arjun’s transformation is currently the talk of the town, Indian cinema has a rich history of stars portraying shape-shifters and supernatural beings.

The trend dates back to 1992, when Rahul Roy transformed into a tiger every full moon in Mahesh Bhatt’s cult classic Junoon. Decades later, Varun Dhawan brought the werewolf genre to life in the 2022 film Bhediya, inspired by Arunachali folklore. More recently, in 2025, Ayushmann Khurrana embraced his dark side as a blood-sucking ‘Betaal’ in the horror-comedy Thama. On the small screen, Vivian Dsena remains an icon for his portrayal of the vampire Abhay Raichand in Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani. As Allu Arjun prepares to unleash his inner beast in Raka, it seems the era of the supernatural anti-hero is officially back with a bang.