Name: Pushpa 2: The Rule
Director: Sukumar
Cast: Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, Jagapathi Babu, Rao Ramesh, Sunil, Anasuya Bharadwaj
Writer: Sukumar, Srikanth Vissa
Rating: 3/5
Allu Arjun starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule has finally made its way to the theaters on December 5, 2024. The film which has been one of the most anticipated films of this year takes us back into the world of red sandalwood smuggling and the reign of Pushparaju.
With Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil reprising their characters from the first installment, the movie also takes us on some new terrains, exploring more deeply. So, here’s the Pinkvilla review for the same!
The Plot:
The movie Pushpa 2: The Rule, directed by Sukumar focuses on the tale of Pushparaju, a daily-wage worker who rose up in the ranks of a smuggling syndicate. In his rise as an individual, he made several enemies and threats which linger on in this sequel while also introducing new foes.
As Pushpa leads a married life now with his wife, Srivalli, the man is shown to be a doting husband who would do anything for his beloved. This develops into the main crux of the story with the sadistic Bhanwar Singh Shekawat planning his revenge after his ego was hurt.
The rest of the movie focuses on what Pushpa does in order to continue his reign as a kingpin while also proving to be the perfect husband for his wife.
The Good:
One of the best things that Pushpa 2 has to offer is that it surely gave us what we were expecting from a sequel of this franchise. The movie did not falter in exploring a highly masala-packed film with the unstoppable Pushpa heading on through any obstacle that still comes his way.
With Allu Arjun and Fahadh Faasil fitting right into the bill of what they were expected to do, Rashmika Mandanna also struck strong with her portrayal of Srivalli. The arc of her character stood strong in terms of writing with the actress embodying what was required of her and nothing more.
While the storyline of the sequel offers a thin plot to ride on, the narration did seem pleasing at certain places, making it enjoyable at various moments. This adds to the grandeur of the movie, which seemingly still rides more on what Pushpa could do.
Additionally, the dialogues were crafted into a niche of their own, being brilliant with words, especially spoken by Fahadh Faasil’s character who is shown to be a non-native Telugu speaker. This added with the indulgence of the dialect from the Chittoor region was kept authentic even in the sequel.
Coming to the technical side, Sukumar has done an execution of the movie in the best possible manner which is entertaining for most parts. In particular, the introductory fight, a Jaathara festival scene, and the climax fight were crafted to expertise, which the stunt department needs to be applauded for.
Additionally, the placement of the song Sooseki and Peelings into the narrative did feel organic and was enjoyable on the screen with some neat choreography.
At the same time, the movie’s musical soundtrack designed by Devi Sri Prasad was also wonderful to experience with some stunning visuals by Mirosław Kuba Brożek. Additionally, the thumping scores during fight sequences by Sam CS also make the movie as engaging as possible.
The Bad:
Coming to the underwhelming aspects of Allu Arjun starrer, the movie becomes redundant with the thin plot they have offered. The film takes the biggest hit in exploring the dynamic rivalry between Pushparaju and Bhanwar Singh Shekawat which was teased as a massive lead in the first installment’s tail-end.
While the ego clash of both men takes center stage, the movie does not engage in the epic showdown that it could have become. Despite the film having talented actors like Allu Arjun and Fahadh Faasil in these mentioned characters, the makers shy away from utilizing them and rather fizzle out with bursting loud. Rather, the movie goes on to explore a bigger threat for Pushpa which is only to unfold in its 3rd installment.
This redundancy in terms of screenplay is paired with a lagging and drawn-out editing pattern for the film. The movie has a runtime of 3 hours and 20 minutes but many of the parts could’ve been chopped out easily.
Additionally, while the Magnum Opus movie has such a big ensemble cast riding on it, we are never much invested in the other characters and would rather just enjoy watching Pushparaju do something.
With these underwhelming aspects, the movie jumps the rope between becoming slightly better than it’s first installment and remaining at the same level as well.
The Performances:
The biggest takeaways from Pushpa 2: The Rule are the leading actors Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil. All three of them gave their best in terms of their character and the story, despite other performances feeling lackluster.
Allu Arjun being the wildfire he is, blows us away with his performance as this larger-than-life action hero, while Fahadh keeps his eccentric tone and nature as teased in the first installment.
Watch the trailer for Pushpa 2: The Rule
The Verdict:
Pushpa 2: The Rule is simply what you expected from the makers after watching the trailer. The movie packs a punch with its masala elements, which might satisfy people who enjoy mass action movies.
Additionally, the film is still worth a watch for the fiery performance by Allu Arjun, who is true to his catchphrase, “Asalu Thaggedhe Le,” meaning “He’ll never back off.”
