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Pushpa 2 The Rule Review: Allu Arjun delivers a breakthrough performance as Pushpa Raj in an entertaining film

Pushpa 2 The Rule Review: Allu Arjun delivers a breakthrough performance as Pushpa Raj in an entertaining film

‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ Review: There is something about Sukumar’s ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ that captivates you. It’s not the most innovative commercial you’ve ever seen…it’s not the brightest movie either. And yet, one can’t help but get engrossed in Allu Arjun’s Pushpa Raj and his journey for the interminable 3 hours and 20 minutes as he nurtures his ego, bruised as a child. Sometimes you smile, sometimes you huff in frustration, but either way you have the strength to go along. (Also Read: Pushpa 2 Twitter reviews: Allu Arjun’s massive epic is called a must-see mega blockbuster; fans actually love scrubs)

Pushpa 2 The Rule Review: Allu Arjun is at his A-game while playing Pushpa Raj.
Pushpa 2 The Rule Review: Allu Arjun is at his A-game while playing Pushpa Raj.

Pushpa 2: The Rules Story

Pushpa 2: The Rule picks up where Pushpa: The Rise left off. Pushpa Raj (Arjun) is now a major Red Sanders smuggler. He lives in a spacious bungalow with his loving wife Srivalli (Rashmika Mandanna) and his mother (Kalpalatha). He wears flashy shirts, jewelry, and now sports a red-painted nail as a sign of his economic status. Most of Chittoor follows his opinion because whatever he earns through illegal means, he can give it away for free.

Rashmika Mandanna and Allu Arjun play Srivalli and Pushpa Raj in Pushpa 2: The Rule.
Rashmika Mandanna and Allu Arjun play Srivalli and Pushpa Raj in Pushpa 2: The Rule.

But there are two thorns in his side that won’t go away. One of them is his half-brother Mohan Raj (Ajay), who takes every opportunity to call him illegitimate or publicly humiliate him. The other is SP Bhanwar Singh Shekawath (Fahadh Faasil), whose ego and classism are always on display. Neither gets him the respect he deserves, no matter what he does. But there’s only so much he can take without retaliating.

Pushpa 2: The Rules Review

With Pushpa 2: The Rule, Sukumar corrects some of the flaws he ignored in Pushpa: The Rise. The focus of his film was always Pushpa’s childhood trauma as a boy who just wanted respect and acceptance for himself and his mother. And while it’s fun to see the character do his best when it comes to running an illegal syndicate, the film shines when it focuses on what drives the character. The back and forth between Pushpa and Bhanwar, while funny and clever, is not the best.

The film starts well, packs a punch in the first half and serves up a full meal that leaves you wanting more. It’s not that logic or even physics dictates the story or the fight scenes, but Srivalli has asked something of Pushpa and you want him to achieve that, no matter what is at stake. But it’s only in the second half that the film falters a little. You scratch your head and wonder where this is all going. And with the cat already out of the bag, the film also takes a detour to hastily prepare a new challenge for Pushpa 3: The Rampage.

Allu Arjun and Pushpa Raj

There is no doubt about it, Pushpa 2 wouldn’t be the same if Arjun hadn’t given his best. The actor has been devoting his life to this character for five years now and this time he seems so comfortable in the character’s skin. He is now much more confident in saying “thaggede le” (I will not give in) and much more vulnerable to his pain, especially towards Srivalli. Arjun deftly softens Pushpa’s edges, making him easier to root for. It also helps that Sukumar writes some brilliant scenes for him, you get the promised wildfire.

Pushpa 2 makes it clear that no matter what the character achieves in life, he will always be the little boy his own family shunned. Arjun wears his heart on his sleeve and his pain on his face. Everything Pushpa does, every new experience in his life, will always lead him back to his trauma. This is brilliantly highlighted in a scene in Gangamma Thalli Jatara where what should be your usual happy moment turns into something much more profound, not to mention visually brilliant. The climax may be contrived in its construction, but it relies entirely on Arjun to captivate you with his performance while simultaneously fighting for his life.

The World of Pushpa 2: The Rule

Much like Pushpa: The Rise, Pushpa 2: The Rule takes the trouble to set up characters only to end up disregarding them. Or worse, you use them as a means to an end that doesn’t add much to the overall story. The characters Rao Ramesh, Jagapathi Babu and Tarak Ponnappa meet a similar fate. Considering how much he annoys Pushpa, Fahadh’s character could have been a bit more fleshed out.

And then there are the women. Unfortunately, Srivalli seems to be an extension of Geethanjali from Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal. She sulks when she’s angry, is reserved, serves food, overdoes her husband when she’s happy, and “scrubs” him at inappropriate times, but nothing beyond that. Luckily, Srivalli gets a good monologue to defend her husband, which stays in the mind because Rashmika pulls it off well.

Pavani Karanam is reduced to a damsel in distress; The less said about it, the better. Dakshayani (Anasuya Bharadwaj) is initially given something to chew on (even if her wig is as bad as ever). Nevertheless, she is ultimately sidelined, as is her husband Mangalam Srinu (Sunil), who limits himself to praising Pushpa.

In conclusion

To its credit, Devi Sri Prasad’s music – even powerful songs like ‘Peelings’ and ‘Kissik’ (you can’t take your eyes off Sreeleela) fits surprisingly well into the narrative without hindering the flow of the story . At no point do you wonder why the director couldn’t just skip the song and move on. Miroslaw Kuba Brozek’s cinematography gives you some lush, colorful images that stay in your mind, especially in the Jatara scene.

Sreeleela and Allu Arjun in the song Kissik.
Sreeleela and Allu Arjun in the song Kissik.

Ultimately, “Pushpa 2: The Rule” is entertaining, makes you smile and also feel for its titular character, even if it’s not flawless and conveys a superficial message about women’s safety. And if you don’t notice a runtime as long as this, that’s a win.

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