Pushpa jhukhega nahi, saalaa, after eagerly waiting for three years, we finally hear this line again! Pushpa 2 :The Rule starring Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil is here. Directed by Sukumar, the action-packed masala entertainer has levelled up a notch compared to the first part. From the much-anticipated face-off between Pushpa and Shekhawat to dealing with a more vulnerable and Pookie side of our protagonist, the sequel takes us on a three-hour fifteen-minute ride which is thrilling and, at some points exhausting too. However, it still delivers an engaging watch, mostly for its performances. Read here to dive deep into the world of a labourer-turned-sandalwood smuggler!
Plot
The plot begins with a hoot and whistle-worthy entry of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa in Japan. Well, all we know is that he is there to get his money but after a hell of an action, the hero is shot. The context? Maybe in Pushpa 3! Getting back to the story, Pushpa 2: The Rule shows how the sandalwood smuggler has expanded his business with more and more labourers willing to work under him. IPS Officer Shekhawat (Fahaadh Faasil) leaves no stone unturned to get hold of Pushpa and his consignments, but in return, all he ends up getting is more failure, disappointments and a worse-than-before insult.
Pushpa 2: The Rule also has a parallel story about how the dynamics between Pushpa and Molleti’s family change with some major events leading up to an emotional climax. The film also takes a very casual and sly dig at corruption, corrupted ministers and police officers. It opens up some more layers of Pushpa’s character, especially as a husband, an honest smuggler and a man who will go to lengths to protect a woman’s dignity. This time the rage in Pushpa is 2X more than you would expect! There is also a genuine and heartfelt love story between Pushpa and Srivalli that doesn’t go unnoticed!
Let’s Talk About The Good!
Gripping Performances!
Allu Arjun as Pushpa leaves us in awe of his big-screen aura, well yet again. Not just as the usual old fiery Pushpa that we saw in the 2021 film but this one is a more refined and developed character. In the first half, Allu Arjun reminds us of the charm that we were all waiting to experience in theatres, with his signature dialogues, jhukega nahi attitude, anger, determination and well, the romantic husband who only listens to his Baiko (wife).
But in the second half, we see a whole different side of the character and the actor. Pushpa is reimagined as Goddess Kali and the actor pulled these scenes with a mind-boggling ease and finesse. It kept the audience on the edge of their seats and I am sure, each of us felt the adrenaline rush while watching Allu Arjun perform a classical piece followed by a thrilling action sequence that had a high dose of nazaakat! As a husband, the actor immediately takes a flip and in that moment, it’s like the angry maar-dunga, kaat-dunga man doesn’t exist. I loved this switch. He also makes you feel for Pushpa in moments when the character has a severe breakdown, and it’s always related to the pain of not having a family name. IDK why but despite knowing that Pushpa is not into a legally or morally right business, we keep rooting for him! I am still figuring this out, BRB!
Fahadh Faasil, OMG, this man, can words describe his craft? The actor is not out of his character even for a second. We have a bittersweet relationship with IPS Officer Shekhawat. All he wants is to take revenge on Pushpa for the insult that he can never forget. However, all his attempts are always in vain. Shekhawat’s character does not take itself seriously and Fahadh Faasil makes sure we understand that well. Shekhawat is behind Pushpa all the time but deep down he knows that winning against him is not easy. Fahadh Faasil is funny too or maybe too funny!
Rashmika Mandanna as Srivalli has a little character development in this sequel. Although most of the time she is the loving, intimidating wifey to Pushpa. However, Rashmika Mandanna delivers the role of a playful, naughty wife with utmost ease and at the same time, there is a conviction in her performance when she takes a stand for her husband and confronts the elder Molleti brother over questions about Pushpa’s family name! That monologue by Rashmika is impressive!
The Goddess Kali Dance Sequence
Right after the interval, there is a scene when Allu Arjun’s Pushpa gets dressed in a saree, the look that we saw in one of the posters. The actor delivers a chilling classical dance performance by showcasing some hand mudras with perfection. The expression, the delicacy and intensity of this scene gave me goosebumps. The choreography was a treat to watch on the big screen and it’s probably the most impactful scene in the film. There is also an action sequence right after which was shot and performed with excellence.
Action Pieces
Well, Pushpa 1: The Rise set a bar when it comes to action set pieces and in the sequel, some of those are repeated but it’s just bigger, extended and larger in magnitude. The action sequences are entertaining tho!
However, the most important part of the film is flawed and that brings me to the next part!
What Doesn’t Work?
Story
See, Pushpa 2: The Rule’s plot is very inconsistent and all over the place. In the first part, we saw the making of a sandalwood smuggler who dreamt of ruling the world but on his terms. So we were expecting the story to move forward but it left me disappointed. I sat for more than three hours only to realise that Pushpa’s story does not develop really except for a few closures that the protagonist gets in his personal life. Even the face-off between Pushpa and Shekhawat is too one-sided, and it was one of the most expected developments in the film.
Pushpa 2′s basic plot is how Pushpa wants to fulfil his wife’s wish of seeing him get a picture with the Chief Minister. He makes sure to flip the political scenarios for this and takes up a very big international consignment. Shekhawat is the only barrier but this cat-and-mouse chase between the police officer and smuggler only ends up becoming predictable and one-sided! The thrill is lost!
In the second half, after a few minutes, the plot goes off-beat. In an attempt to show how Pushpa reconciles with his Molleti family, a very cliche plot twist happens and it has nothing to do with the smuggler Pushpa. I mean using the whole “protect the women’s dignity” narrative looked like an easy way out to be politically correct and at the same time get some whistles from the audience. There were moments where the film was unnecessarily stretched, it also made me impatient!
Songs
For the most part, I did not enjoy the songs in the film, except for two of them- Pushpa’s classical piece and Srivalli’s ‘Angaaron’ song. The songs were like an unnecessary addition that I wished to remove so we could cut down on the running time. The ‘Kissik’ song was similar to ‘Oo Antava’,, except it was not as engaging or entertaining! The songs were always a distraction from the plot.
Character Developments
Except for Pushpa, other characters have no arcs whatsoever. While Fahadh Faasil is good with his performance, I could not help but think why Shekhawat’s character is always meant to look defeated in front of Pushpa. I mean weren’t we expecting a neck-and-neck face-off after the bar that was set by his character in the first film? Why was a corrupt and intimidating police officer who killed two men just because he couldn’t pull back the car seat boiled down to look like a fool in the sequel?
Even Rashmika’s character acted as a lens to show Pushpa’s vulnerable side that the world never saw. The character, I would not say was not very empowering or had much to add to the narrative!
Verdict: Allu Arjun, Take A Bow!
Pushpa 2: The Rule is a very lengthy film for sure, but does it keep you engaged? Yes, it does! Why? Mostly because the performances especially by Allu Arjun and Fahadh Faasil are superb! However, the film’s plot goes haywire many times and becomes the weakest element. The inconsistent storytelling bothered me. There are some gripping action scenes and choreography in the film that’s worth a big-screen experience. Pushpa 2: The Rule is solely a masala entertainer that goes wrong with the narrative since we had high expectations! The face-off between Pushpa and Shekhawat does not get justice and I am sad, and I will crib.
Phew, the film is running in theatres!