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The following review contains no spoilers for “Pushpa 2: The Rule” apart from what is contained in teasers, trailers, and lyrical song videos. The review is based on the Telugu-language IMAX release, subtitled in English.
The question of “What is the biggest Indian film of all time” has many different potential answers. International gross? “Dangal”. Domestic? “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion.” Footfalls? Likely “Sholay” or “Mughal-e-Azam”, though “Baahubali 2” has a claim there too. In a year that has been frankly disappointing for mass cinema overall, cinephiles have watched the promise of the next “1000cr Club” movie bandied about for films that struggled to earn a tenth of that amount, or whose inflated budget made even a record-breaking gross barely break even. Beloved directors known for making mass films with sophisticated twists have let down audiences with trite and outdated content and stories that seem to only exist to set up a sequel.
In the words of Pushparaju himself, “I’m a different sort.”
2021’s “Pushpa: The Rise” was at once a breath of fresh air and a collection of the cliches that have defined the post-Baahubali or “pan-Indian” era of mass cinema. On one hand, it was another film portraying its star actor in a new rugged, rustic avatar, one who works his way up from the lowest ranks of society due to carrying a traumatic background of being raised by a single mother in poverty, one that also leads him to treat women with utmost respect despite his otherwise violent nature.
Reviewers commented that it was essentially the same film as 2018’s “KGF: Chapter 1” but with red sandalwood smuggling instead of gold. Despite bagging actor Allu Arjun the first-ever National Award for a Telugu actor in almost seven decades, his character of Pushparaju seemed like just another so-called “hero” appealing to the worst excesses of violent, selfish, arrogant toxic masculinity.
On the other hand, Sukumar, coming off of his critically acclaimed “Rangasthalam” with Ram Charan, infused “Pushpa: The Rise” with many of the elements that made the prior film a success, such as its commentary on caste, patriarchy, and masculinity led by multifaceted and flawed characters. Pushpa is motivated by the upper-caste surname denied to him as a child to make a name for himself in the most literal sense. This perceived lack illustrates how he is tied down by societal expectations while still seemingly unstoppable in all other areas. While Pushpa recreationally disrespects men who are known to kill for less, his own pride remains an open weakness that Fahadh Fassil’s Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat wastes no time exploiting by the film’s conclusion.
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While many mainstream films portray their hypermasculine protagonists as grappling with a softer side, “Pushpa” goes further by depicting the protagonist’s struggle with masculine expectations in a way that deeply influences the story’s arc, transcending mere obsession with duty or revenge. The deeper introspection into hypermasculinity is enhanced by the feminist angle of blockbuster item number “Oo Antava Oo Oo Antava” and the character of Pushpa’s eventual wife Srivalli, who is given a longer and more meaningful role in the film than the typical mass heroine “flowerpot” roles. Yet “Pushpa: The Rise” is hardly feminist, and while it goes further with those ideas than most do, it remained to be seen whether they would be further explored in the sequel or are simply performative.
Perhaps the greatest praise one can bestow upon “Pushpa 2: The Rule” is that it does in fact double down on these elements that broke its predecessor away from the pack. In allegiance with Pushpa’s “thaggedhe le” motto, Pushpa 2 “never compromises” on its own plot and character arcs for the sake of entertainment value. While “Pushpa: The Rise” maintains breakneck pacing more reminiscent of a Safdie Brothers directorial than a masala film, its sequel unfolds at a more digestible rate. Rather than throwing a sudden plot twist at the audience, there is a focus on picking up the character arcs from the first film before the plot fully swings into action. It’s possible to enjoy “Pushpa 2” without having seen the first one, but knowledge and investment in the characters from the first film will pay off in spades.
The characters of “Pushpa 2” are one of its biggest strengths. Its 200-minute runtime seems more in line with character dramas like “Hey Ram” and “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham” than an action film and indeed, while it contains multiple laudable action sequences, the film has far more to offer than constantly rushing toward the next big setpiece. However, a viewer expecting nothing beyond thrilling stunts and fights may walk away disappointed. Yet the degree to which Pushpa’s trademark mannerisms and catchphrases have already deeply embedded themselves in the pop culture consciousness, in alignment with the fictional “brand” of Pushparaj himself, is enough to compel a watch on its own.
References to the first film abound in both iconography, character moments, and elements of the backing score; many of these elements, such as the bloody handprint, the beard brush, and the dual meaning of Pushpa meaning “blossom” either in the context of flowers or fire, are already considered iconic parts of pop culture. The feeling of watching an ambitious team functioning at the highest level of the industry to create a true “event film” is its own unique kind of thrill that the typical holiday release simply cannot offer. But rather than simply throwing fanservice moments and stylized violence at the audience as much as possible, “Pushpa 2,” just like its hero, charts its own course and dares the audience to hold on for the ride.
The action of “Pushpa 2” follows in the steps of the first film, with ample speed ramping and slow motion shots. Viewers expecting a more international approach to action choreography (nowadays dictated almost solely by American and South Korean choreographers) may be reminded of Pushpa’s proclamation at the start of the first film that he is “hardcore Telugu.” For those with low expectations of the action scenes, one need only remember the battle in “Pushpa 1” wherein Pushpa fights off two different gangs of goons with a bag over his head and his arms tied behind his back.
This scene receives a reference in the sequel that is potentially its single most thrilling moment, of equal impact to Prabhas’s now-legendary Kateramma fight sequence in “Salaar Part 1: Ceasefire.” The character focus pays off in this respect as well, as the film steers away from simply killing off characters to progress or resolve plot points such that character deaths have a certain amount of weight as a result. The level of violence is relatively restrained throughout up until the explosive climax scene which pulls out every stop and then some. One is reminded of the climax sequence of “Kantara” for a spoiler-free comparison.
From a production standpoint, the visuals, cinematography, and VFX are all top-notch apart from some woefully inadequate CGI helicopter scenes. The camera work typically doesn’t draw attention to itself but there is an unusual amount of subtlety for a film of this scale. A match cut featuring two characters clinking whiskey glasses across two scenes that take place in the same location at different times is an example of above-average editing and scene transition, areas where director Sukumar has excelled in the past. Despite moving into a different realm of massive-scale commercial cinema, the sensibilities that made him a critic’s darling are still on full display for those who are paying attention, and subsequent viewings are bound to yield even more details.
One such detail is the way that certain songs are linked into the narrative, such as the word “kissik” appearing as a plot point well before the introduction of the song by the same name, turning a simple item number into a comment on the event that sets the plot of the entire film in motion. The songs are all fantastic, with lush visuals that don’t break much new ground but are a joy to see on the big screen. Choreography is a step down from what is typically expected from an Allu Arjun film, but suave modern dance moves weren’t Pushpa’s style in the first film.
A discussion of acting is difficult without going into spoilers, but Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Fassil all make a tremendous impact with their performances, with a special mention going to Tarak Ponnappa’s villainous turn. The comment “Allu Arjun walks with unequal shoulders from the weight of carrying this entire film” perfectly captures his role in “Pushpa 2.” His brilliance in the titular role, undoubtedly one of the most unforgettable performances of this generation, is what truly elevates the film.
All the above strengths of the film are brought to the forefront during the much-hyped Jathara scene, which is undoubtedly the highlight of the film overall. In this one 20-minute sequence, the film makes its thesis statement with ferocious aplomb. Dressed in a feminine avatar in celebration of the Gangamma Jathara festival, Pushpa grapples, both literally and figuratively, with the burden that masculinity has placed on him, only to be reassured by his loved ones that his value is dictated by the many people who support him, not society.
If this scene, rooted in ancient religious traditions and laden with mystical symbolism, appeared in any other kind of film, it would have been lauded for its emotional and conceptual depth and indeed is in the vein of what might be seen from the “cinephile” production house. It challenges the audience to look beyond surface-level genre tropes and visual spectacles, but it may not be enough to sway a viewer who is coming to it with different expectations.
However, where “Pushpa 2” struggles is against the boundaries and expectations of its own genre. Despite its commentary on gender roles and masculinity, characters are still generally forced into their expected societal roles. There are still unfortunately scenes where a woman is harassed with the threat of sexual violence by goons, requiring the hero to step in to save her. One is forced to wonder what commentary on gender, politics, and caste has been left on the cutting room floor due to a fear that the audience is not ready to accept it.
The increased screen time and importance given to female characters in the film overall is tempered by the knowledge that they are still held back by real-world expectations. “Pushpa 2” continues to push against these boundaries even further than the first film and the desire to continue to do so is laudable, yet by the time the cliffhanger ending rolls around, the audience is once again left holding their breath on whether the series will continue to push boundaries or fall back into typical cliches.
For someone unconvinced by the first film, or who is unwilling to dig deeper into the subtleties of the filmmaking, “Pushpa 2” will likely be a disappointment, offering neither the world-class spectacle and action of a Rajamouli film nor the nuanced and grounded examination of human nature as in Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine As Light.” It has been made clear that this is not the culmination of Pushpa’s story, yet has it progressed the story enough to justify the three-year wait and unprecedented hype?
Pushparaj asserted “I’m a different sort.” in his first film. Different than who? Unlike Bollywood’s “Fighter,” he doesn’t chase Western filmmaking conventions to the detriment of all else. Unlike “Singham Again” he doesn’t need to pack the film full of other stars and force a shoehorned, cliched mythological connection, or unlike “Devara: Part 1” he doesn’t tell half a story, and that too is filled with outdated gender roles and plot points lifted from better films.
As opposed to “The Greatest of All Time” he doesn’t rely purely on fanservice and nostalgia. Unlike “KGF: Chapter 2” there is a wide range of memorable and quirky characters to be invested in beyond just the hero. Moreover, unlike “Leo,” “Vettaiyan,” and so many other recent mass films, the director’s aspirations aren’t in clear conflict with the lead’s star power. But if this is a film of a different sort, the next film should continue the trend and not succumb to market pressures or expectations.
At the time of writing, it remains to be seen if “Pushpa 2: The Rule” will attain the box office milestones of such coveted films as “Baahubali,” “RRR,” and “Kalki 2898 A.D.” However, the attention to craft and detail in its writing, production, and overall construction puts it above the typical commercial film. Is that enough to judge it more as a “content-driven” film than a mass entertainer? Will it be enough to break box office records? Will it impact the way films are made afterward? As with the rule of every Raj, time alone will tell.
