Pushpa 2 review: Only fire, no wildfire!

Movie: Pushpa 2 The Rule
Evaluation: 2.75/5
Banner: Mythri filmmaker

Pour: Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, Jagapathi Babu, Dhanunjaya, Rao Ramesh, Sunil, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Tarak Ponnappa and others

Music: Devi Sri Prasad

DOP: Miresłow Kuba Brożek

Editor: Navin Nooli

Fights: Peter Hein, “Dragon” Prakash, Kecha, Navakanth

VFX Supervisor: Kamal Kannan

Production designer: S. Ramakrishna – Monica Nigotre

Produced by: Naveen Yerneni, Ravi Shankar Yalamanchili

Screenplay and direction: Sukumar

Release date: December 5, 2024

Pushpa 2 has created a lot of buzz in the last few months. After the sensational pan-India success of the first part, the second part created huge anticipation across the country.

Industry analysts expect the film to set new records at the box office. Allu Arjun has been actively promoting the film across India, fueling the excitement even further.

Let’s see if it lives up to the hype.

Story:
Pushpa Raj (Allu Arjun), who is now leading a happy married life, faces an unusual request from his wife Srivalli (Rashmika Mandanna), who asks him to take a photograph with the state’s chief minister. Although he accepts funds from Pushpa Raj for his political party, the CM refuses to accept it on the grounds that there is no way to prove that he is associated with a smuggler.

Pushpa Raj feels humiliated and decides to make his friend Siddappa (Rao Ramesh) the next Prime Minister. To achieve this ambitious goal, he needs to raise Rs 500 crore by smuggling large quantities of red sandpapers.

However, SP Shekawat (Fahadh Faasil) is looking for revenge for the humiliation he suffered earlier and is determined to sabotage Pushpa’s plans.

Amid the ongoing rivalry between Shekawat and Pushpa Raj, Pushpa also faces a domestic political crisis that diverts his focus and adds another layer of complexity to his mission.

Artist performances:
Allu Arjun, who won a National Award for his performance in the first part of Pushpa, delivers another captivating performance in the sequel. The Gangamma Jathara episodes and the climax are highlights of his acting skills. In the Gangamma sequence, Allu Arjun takes on a female role and showcases his incredible versatility as an actor. While the sequel features more action stunts, Allu Arjun still shines with his soulful acting and delivers an even more intense performance than the first part. The film is entirely his show.

Although Rashmika Mandanna has limited screen time, she shines in crucial moments. She particularly impresses in two key scenes where she is able to demonstrate her acting skills, and in the song “Peelings” she radiates glamor.

Fahadh Faasil, the extraordinary Malayalam actor proves his mettle once again. His presence always heightens the drama and transforms even ordinary scenes into gripping moments. As an antagonist, his charisma and authentic performance command attention.

Rao Ramesh is impressive in his role while Jagapathi Babu’s character lacks depth and impact.

Sunil and Anasuya Bharadwaj, who reprise their roles from the first part, have minimal importance in the narrative. Sreeleela’s item song is unfortunately the weakest part of the film.

Technical excellence:
Miresłow Kuba Brożek’s cinematography is breathtaking and takes the visual experience to a new level. Compared to the first part, his work in this sequel is even more impressive. After the great success of the first part, the producers have significantly increased the budget, allowing all technicians to raise the bar in terms of quality and richness.

The graphics are elegant and the production design and visual effects are top notch. The dialogues are sharp and the action stunts are elaborately executed.

Devi Sri Prasad’s music, while not as iconic as the first part, works reasonably well on screen. Both Devi Sri Prasad and Sam CS provide a solid background score. However, editing is a major disadvantage.

The film’s running time of 3 hours and 20 minutes feels tedious at times and detracts from the overall experience.

Highlights:

Allu Arjun’s stunning performance
Pushpa’s clash with the Prime Minister
The “Sorry” episode with Fahadh and Bunny
Climactic fight

Disadvantage:

Long term
The first 20 minutes were unnecessary
Delays
The main episode of part 3

analysis
Pushpa 2, the second part of the Pushpa series, continues the story where the first part left off. Director Sukumar begins the narrative with a sequence set in Japan before transitioning back to the Seshachalam forest in flashback style. However, the first 15 minutes of the film seem unnecessary and contribute little to the plot, unnecessarily extending the running time.

The plot then focuses on Pushpa Raj’s current married life, the Prime Minister’s refusal to be photographed with him and a brewing conflict between Shekawat and Pushpa. These events unfold at a deliberate pace, with the film taking its time to build the narrative.

Sukumar excels at captivating viewers with his script, gradually building anticipation for key moments, particularly the confrontation between Fahadh Faasil and Allu Arjun. The break successfully initiated the drama for the second half.

The standout post-interval sequence is Gangamma Jathara, where Sukumar’s strong writing and direction shine. In this scene, Allu Arjun, disguised as Gangamma, delivers a riveting fight sequence.

The song “Sooseki” and a subsequent family confrontation scene then provide emotional depth, with Rashmika Mandanna delivering a standout performance. This extended sequence is one of the highlights of the second half, effectively combining drama and emotion.

The film also balances humor and romance in a few scenes between Rashmika Mandanna and Allu Arjun. Rashmika, in particular, steps out of her comfort zone for some bold, glamorous moments leading up to the ‘Scrub’ song.

While the first half provides occasional tension, the second half impresses with a long, haunting sequence. However, the film lacks a solid plot as it relies on recurring themes such as humiliation and the hero’s quest for validation.

Sukumar seems to have leaned heavily on Allu Arjun’s mannerisms and confident performance to propel the film forward, prioritizing action over a compelling narrative.

The preliminary climax features a visually magnificent but logically implausible fight sequence in which Allu Arjun fights his opponents with his hands and legs tied. While the scene evokes some emotional resonance within the context of the story, its lack of realism diminishes its impact.

The lead-up to Part 3 seems more like a gimmick than a seamless continuation of the story.

Despite his flaws, Sukumar showcases his brilliance in two key sequences: Allu Arjun’s emotional breakdown as he prays for a daughter instead of a son, and Ajay’s climactic sequence. However, the director’s shift toward a louder, more mass-appealing style deviates from his usual elegant and nuanced storytelling.

Overall, Pushpa 2 thrives on Allu Arjun’s phenomenal performance, which surpasses his work in the first part. While the film suffers from a long runtime and a less coherent story, Allu Arjun’s magnetic presence and captivating narrative make it an entertaining film.

Conclusion: Not that fragrant