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Pushpa: The Rise -- Part 1 Reviews

It's too bad the post-production work is just not up to snuff, because there's a lot to like here.

Full Review | Mar 7, 2022

PUSHPA: THE RISE is a damn stylish and super cool mass spectacle with a strong Allu Arjun and great songs. That the dramaturgy leaves something to be desired can be forgiven given the high amount of fun.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Feb 24, 2022

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'Pushpa: The Rise' movie review: Allu Arjun's best, but Fahadh Faasil steals the show

As the name suggests, the first part of the Allu Arjun starrer, 'Pushpa: The Rise,' revolves around how a mere woodcutter rises to head a syndicate controlling sandalwood smuggling from Seshachalam Hills of the Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh.

Allu Arjun as Pushpa plays a 'pakka' local lad and his rustic look in the movie adds up to make it his best performance so far. However, we keep getting the feeling that it could have been better. Especially in the first half when the drag is felt and there is no Fahadh Faasil to save us from it.

Yes, Fahadh's brilliant performance in the second half saves the movie from doom. Fahadh plays the antagonist, Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat, an IPS officer, which also marks his Telugu debut.

Fahadh Faasil's new look in 'Pushpa 2' takes social media by storm

Picked Fahadh for Pushpa as we wanted someone with 'lot of gravity': Allu Arjun

Rashmika Mandanna as Pushpa's love interest has the usual role of a girl adoring Allu Arjun's muscle power and worshipping him.

In the first half Pushpa keeps going on a steady path rising in power with his sheer muscle power and punch dialogues, defeating both fellow villains and police. Much like in other Allu Arjun movies.

He shows signs of psychopathic obsession to succeed and make money, but we keep guessing why and no clear answer is given in the part-1 of the film. Maybe it will be revealed in the second part.

Scenes like Pushpa being humiliated in the police station asking for father's name (like in Thalapathy) and affection to his single mother (like in KGF) are poured in abundance in the first half but fails to make us emotional as we have already seen it portrayed better.

Produced by Mythri Movie Makers in association with Muttamsetty Media, 'Pushpa' also features an item number by Samantha in the first half.

However, the movie gets exciting in the second half with the entry of Fahadh. From then on it is about psycho characters trying to prove their worth,

If you have loved Shammi in 'Kumbalingi night,' then you already know Fahadh can handle this role better than anyone.

The dubbed versions of the Telugu film was released in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi.

Like 'Baahubali' and 'KGF', Pushpa is a two-part movie and the second part is expected to release in 2022. It is titled 'Pushpa: The Rule' and hopefully will have more of the action between Pushpa and Shekhawat.

Written and directed by Sukumar, 'Pushpa' is an obvious package of mass entertainment for Allu Arjun fans. Sukumar's regular collaborator Devi Sri Prasad has done brilliant work on the background score.

The rugged and mystifying terrain of the forest land is amazingly captured by Polish cinematographer Miroslaw Kuba Brozek. Combined with Resul Pookutty's sound design it lends a fresh ambience to the places where the drama is pitched.

'Pushpa: The Rise' stands out as a mass entertainer and manages to keep us waiting on tenterhooks for the second part.

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Pushpa: The Rise — Part 1 Movie Review: Allu Arjun is all swagger in a film that falters

Rating: ( 3 / 5).

Let it be said clearly and loudly that the foremost attraction in Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1 is the characterisation of the protagonist, Pushpa, and in equal parts, the performance of Allu Arjun that’s so casually charismatic. Come to think of it, it’s quite strange that we can’t keep our eyes off Pushparaj. The man has unkempt hair, a peculiar manner of walking with the shoulders rather lopsided, clothes that seem barely washed, and when this man does speak, he aims to sting. And yet, Allu Arjun has internalised this character and plays it with such effortless style that it’s impossible not to buy him, quirks and all. It’s strange that the man radiating this charm is a violent, selfish brute who believes in shortcuts. When he seeks to escape from the police, he bribes them. When he seeks a woman, well, he bribes her.

Director Sukumar tries to make him accessible by showing him as an underdog at the very bottom of a vicious power hierarchy. He also, rather manipulatively, establishes that Pushpa is an illegitimate child, chiefly, it seems, to win our support. But he perhaps doesn’t realise that we are already invested in Pushpa, largely on account of terrific dialogues, delivered with the rough bite of the Chittoor dialect. Watch when he willingly participates in a dangerous mission, and someone warns him that there’s a good chance he may not return home that evening. Pushpa climbs into the truck, but not before saying, “I have no plans for the evening anyway.” It’s to Sukumar’s credit that this character never strays from this casual arrogance that defines him.

Director: Sukumar

Cast: Allu Arjun, Fahadh Faasil, Sunil, Rao Ramesh, Rashmika

Also to Sukumar’s credit is how he manages to pull off the unenviable job of making a rather dry subject—red sanders-smuggling—so entertaining in unexpected ways. Who would have thought that the visual of tree logs floating by in a river would result in such entertainment? A vast part of this film’s enjoyment is contained in the pre-interval portions when the filmmaker, whilst ensuring every scene explodes with wit and humour, introduces us to the power hierarchy and the impossibility of rising in such a rigged system. In Wasseypur -esque fashion, we also see that there are barely any decent men in this universe (a police inspector is an exception). Unlike in the Kashyap films though, there’s just a single protagonist here and played by a celebrated star to boot. I felt the uncomfortable dissonance of watching a murderous smuggler being presented as a mass hero worthy of adulation. Sure, he’s comparatively kind to women (and that’s barely saying anything), but does it necessarily make him worthy of cinematic adoration? Does the film love him because he’s so full of smarts? Perhaps it’s because he’s fearless? Or maybe on account of his unquenchable thirst for power, which Srivalli (Rashmika) bemoans? What does it say of this film that across its indulgent three-hour runtime, there’s no real exploration of this man’s flaws, of his emotionally stunted nature, which Srivalli assumes the best of?

The women are largely bystanders and victims, and while that might well be a commentary of the oppressive world around them, some of the film’s choices show that its view isn’t perhaps so well-intended. The big item song, ‘ Ooh antaava ’, is hardly the subversion many imagined it to be. The lyrics pretend to attack, but the song, the video, the situation… it all aims to please. Srivalli, meanwhile, is defined by the speed at which her saree falls off, each time she comes into focus. There’s a late half-hearted attempt in the film to force some agency into Srivalli’s character, but the weak monologue from her only seems like a crafty excuse. Pushpa meanwhile revels in his celebration of masculinity by rescuing her, and Srivalli responds by worshipping the sand that he walks on, whilst calling him ‘ Saami ’. There’s a scene in which a tearful Srivalli readies herself for incoming exploitation by taking bath and dressing up. On some level, it only ends up seeming like a metaphor for roles like this.

Many of these issues raise their ugly head after the interval, with the story losing its sense of direction, as it hurtles into a bizarre end featuring Fahadh Faasil who comes in from nowhere. The subplots stand unresolved, the high of Pushpa’s rise has already been forgotten, and yet, this film goes on and on, like a derailed train that’s a danger to both itself and everyone else. Even if films are part of a bigger whole, standalone films must still have their unique resolutions and exist as artwork with their own organic end. This film itself seems to recognise that it’s barely complete and dubs its end a ‘second interval’—which feels like a misstep at best and an insult at worst.  

And yet, let it be said loudly and clearly that Pushpa isn’t a bad film or even a lazy film for that matter. You can see evidence of this largely in—allow me to re-emphasise this—its terrific dialogues. One pre-interval scene comes to mind. Pushpa has just soundly defeated an adversary and the latter, like in many a film, reels off some parting dialogues, including the threat that life will come full circle and that he will eventually get his chance at revenge. Pushpa hears him out patiently, and finally says one line that decimates his opponent: “Every loser says something like this.” It’s impossible not to laugh out loud—and that’s another strength of this film: all the effortless humour. A terrific central performance from Allu Arjun and plenty of sharp dialogues, and yet, Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1 should have done better. It’s impossible to shake off the feeling that the promise was not quite realised in this film, and now, the question is, will the makers be allowed another stab at it with a follow-up film? For all its flaws, I do think director Sukumar, on evidence of some inspired filmmaking during the pre-interval portions, deserves a chance to complete his vision. Perhaps that way, we might find some fulfillment too.

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Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1 Movie Review: PUSHPA THE RISE PART 01 is a paisa vasool entertainer.

Pushpa: the rise – part 01 [hindi] is a paisa vasool entertainer and rests on sukumar’s expert direction, action and allu arjun’s starry presence, pushpa: the rise – part 1 review {3.5/5} & review rating.

PUSHPA: THE RISE – PART 01 [Hindi] is the story of a badass working in the red sandalwood smuggling industry. In the forest of Seshachalam, the smuggling of red sandalwood goes unabated. The red sandalwood is cut from here and taken illegally to Chennai from where it is shipped to China and even further to Japan. Pushpa Raj (Allu Arjun) is an illegitimate child of Muletti Venkatraman, a rich landlord in a village. The latter never accepted Pushpa and his mother, Parvati Devi. After his death, his biological son threw the mother-son duo out of their house given by Muletti and left them to fend for themselves. Pushpa grows up doing odd jobs. He has a lot of attitude and hence, gets kicked out of a job. While waiting for his next daily wage job, he finds out that the red sandalwood business pays a lot although the risk is also way higher. He joins the industry as a woodcutter. One day, the police raids while they were busy cutting the wood. Pushpa single-handedly hides the precious red sandalwood from them and doesn’t even open his mouth even though the cops beat him black and blue. Konda Reddy (Ajay Ghosh) runs the smuggling business and Pushpa Raj is their labourer. When he finds out about Pushpa’s bravery, he sends his younger brothers, Jolly Reddy (Dhananjay) and Jakka Reddy, to get his bail done. Pushpa demands Rs. 5 lakhs to reveal the place where he hid the red sandalwood. The brothers agree. Soon, he becomes an important member in Konda Reddy’s gang as he tells them innovative ways of transporting the red sandalwood while avoiding the prying eyes of the police. On the other hand, Pushpa falls for Srivalli (Rashmika Mandanna), who runs a milk business. Meanwhile, Konda Reddy sells the red sandalwood to Mangalam Srinu (Sunil). Srinu is the one who gets the consignment safely to Chennai. Pushpa learns that Srinu earns as much as Rs. 2 crore for every ton of red sandalwood that he sells to Murugan at Chennai port. Srinu, however, pays just Rs. 25 lakhs per ton to Konda Reddy. Pushpa suggests to Konda Reddy that Srinu should insist that he should be paid more. Konda Reddy is apprehensive as he feels it’ll strain his relations with Srinu. Also, Srinu can be quite a menace. Hence, he sends Pushpa to talk to Srinu. At Srinu’s place, all goes wrong and it signals the beginning of a long bloodbath between the two gangs. What happens next forms the rest of the film.

Sukumar's story is a case of old wine in a new bottle. The idea of a man who rises from nothing and turns into a crime lord has been beaten to death in many films. Sukumar, however, adds his touch and introduces certain powerful characters to keep the interest going. Sukumar's screenplay is topnotch. He has infused excellent entertaining and thrilling moments and ensures that viewers get their money’s worth. He compensates for the clichéd storyline with the jungle and red sandalwood smuggling setting. This factor helps the film to stand out as something of this sort has rarely been seen in our films. Rajendra Sapre’s Hindi dialogues are terrific and add to the fun quotient. Special mention should also go to dubbing director Abul Hasan Ansari as the dub has been carried out very neatly.

Sukumar's direction is excellent and, as expected, very massy. The film is mounted on a grand scale and he handles the scale perfectly. He leaves no stone unturned when it comes to showing the hero worship in all its glory. Such films are expected to show their heroes in the massiest avatars and PUSHPA: THE RISE – PART 01 is no exception. However, in the quest to show off Allu Arjun’s bravado and the scale of the film, he doesn’t sacrifice storytelling. The film is nearly 3 hours long but keeps one engaged from start to finish. There’s a lot happening in the film and Sukumar doesn’t leave any scope for boredom. On the flipside, the film has too many characters and it becomes too much, although it probably was done as a sequel is also in the offing. The film drags at places and could have had a faster narrative. The romantic track raises laughs but overall, is not as entertaining as the other tracks. Also, the Hindi audiences are used to watching progressive cinema and some of them might have reservations with some of the scenes of Srivalli, in the first half.

PUSHPA: THE RISE – PART 01 starts off by explaining in a simple manner and through animation why the red sandalwood business is much sought after. Pushpa’s entry, as expected, is heroic. The way Pushpa outsmarts DCP Govind not once but twice is quite fun. A scene that stands out here is when Pushpa throws the red sandalwood in the jungle; the way it has been executed has to be seen to be believed. The film, however, also has a strong emotional quotient and the scene where Pushpa’s step brother humiliates him and his mother on the day of his marriage arrests attention. The best scene of the first half is reserved during the intermission point. Single-screen cinemas would go in a frenzy at this point. The film drops from here but thankfully, picks up in the scene where Pushpa bashes up Jolly Reddy. This is followed by the forest and funeral sequences. These three scenes take the second half to dizzying heights. The entry of Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat (Fahadh Faasil) initially slows down the film. However, the climax is powerful and excites audiences for the sequel.

Rashmika on working with Allu Arjun: “It was a LEARNING journey, it was FASCINATING to…”| Pushpa

Allu Arjun is in superb form. He is a big star down South but has a considerable following among Hindi speaking audiences. And with his massy avatar, he impresses one and all. His look is quite dashing, his action top-class and his comic timing is spot-on. His dubbing is done by Shreyas Talpade and it contributes to the entertainment quotient. Rashmika Mandanna gives a confident performance and this is an apt film to be introduced to the Hindi audiences before her Bollywood debut next year. Fahadh Faasil has a small but significant role. He’s known for his flawless performances and even here, he’s at his best. Ajay Ghosh is decent while Dhananjay and Sunil leave a mark. Rao Ramesh (MLA) is memorable in the funeral scene. Anasuya Bharadwaj (Daksha; Srinu's wife) is too good as the foul-mouthed wife. The actors playing Keshav (Pushpa's sidekick), Jakka Reddy, Parvati Devi, Muletti Venkatraman, Murugan and Moglis are great. Samantha Ruth Prabhu is sizzling

Devi Sri Prasad's music is not of chartbuster variety, at least when it comes to the Hindi soundtrack. All songs, however, are well shot. 'Jaago Jaago Bakre' comes at a clapworthy moment. 'Srivalli' comes up suddenly but is worth a watch especially for Allu Arjun’s dance. 'Eyy Bidda Ye Mera Adda' comes next. 'Saami Saami' is okay but the sets are picturesque. 'Oo Bolega Ya Oo Oo Bolega' is forgettable. Devi Sri Prasad's background score enhances impact.

Miroslaw Kuba Brozek's cinematography is breathtaking. S Rama Krishna and Monika Niggotre's production design is realistic and yet cinematic. Resul Pookutty's sound designing could have been better; in certain scenes, the dialogues are not fully audible. Ram-Laxman, Peter Hein, Dragon Prakash and Real Satish's action is one of the film’s USPs as it is imaginative, novel and mainstream. Deepali Noor's costumes are authentic. Karthika Srinivas R and Ruben's editing is appropriate but could have been a bit slicker.

On the whole, PUSHPA: THE RISE – PART 01 [Hindi] is a paisa vasool entertainer and rests on Sukumar’s expert direction, action and Allu Arjun’s starry presence.

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Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1 Movie News

Prosenjit Chatterjee praises Allu Arjun’s performance in Pushpa: The Rise: “Allu Arjun's character connected well with the masses...”

Allu Arjun reacts as Australian cricketer David Warner takes his love for Pushpa to a new level in a recent commercial

Fahadh Faasil on Pushpa: “I don't think the film did anything for me”

Samantha Ruth Prabhu on being uncomfortable with her sexuality; overcoming fear during ‘Oo Antava’ shoot for Pushpa: “Sexy is not my thing”

Allu Arjun along with Pushpa: The Rise team attended a grand party at the Berlin International Film Festival

Allu Arjun drops update on Pushpa 3, even before the release of Pushpa 2: The Rule

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Pushpa: The Rise Movie Review: The Film Does More For Its Sequel Pushpa: The Rule Than Itself

Director: Sukumar Cast: Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, Suneel, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Ajay Ghosh, Dhananjaya, Shatru Language : Telugu

First, director Sukumar was conspicuously missing from the promotions. They said he was busy with the film's post-production work. No one knew whether it was last minute hustle or a filmmaker painstakingly sculpting his magnum opus frame by frame. Then, there is Allu Arjun who's been on the verge of breaking into the topmost tier of stardom. Yes, he's already a big star, but not yet the unquestioned superstar he is capable of becoming — one whose success or failures do nothing to dent the stardom.

There is also the issue regarding Devi Sri Prasad's music, which hasn't seen big highs in a long time, given he reserves his best for Sukumar — case in point Rangasthalam . And finally, the decision to break the film into two parts after announcing it as a single film has been most curious. Would the film have enough meat for two parts or was it trying to cash in on the success formula of KGF and Baahubali ? Given how much buzz there is around the production and release of the film, it is almost impossible to see it as an independent work of art alone. But one must try.

Pushpa tells the story of a coolie Pushparaaj who is denied a surname because of his bastard status. He is constantly disrespected by his 'brothers' and the society around him in Chittoor District. But Pushpa has a super-power to smuggle red sanders which earns him a place in the good books of a local smuggler. Pushpa: The Rise, like a diligent biopic, chronicles the rise of its eponymous hero to the top of the pyramid… until something happens, but I'm getting ahead of myself. 

The comparisons to Sukumar's previous work Rangasthalam are easy to make because these are both rural dramas and both have themes of upper-caste men abusing their power. And the music and songs have parallels too. Sukumar has a habit of correcting one film's mistakes in the next one. Whether they were the screenplay loopholes in 1 Nenokkaidine that made way for a more straightforward screenplay in Nannaku Prematho or the 'psychopathic' nature of Aarya in Aarya 2 being replaced with a more palatable egotist in 100% Love 's Balu. 

Pushpa, however, borrows from Sukumar's first mis-hit Jagadam. There too a young man rises up the ranks in the criminal world at great personal cost. That film, while labelled 'ahead of its time,' suffered from an inability to stay focused on its character. In Pushpa , Sukumar corrects that mistake and delivers some stunning set pieces. The sequence where Pushpa saves the day when it looks like the smugglers are done for is a stellar example. The interval sequence sets the screen on fire. 

Much of the credit should go to Allu Arjun. If in Ala Vaikuntapurramloo he deliberately played to the gallery, in Pushpa , he earns more whistles as Pushparaaj than as Allu Arjun. He pulls off the costumes, makeup and accent with ease. It is a breath of fresh air to see Allu Arjun, the actor, on screen. In fact, look at his face when he begins to discover his true worth before he proceeds to confront Mangalam Sreenu (Sunil). Allu Arjun effortlessly embodies a little bit of feeling wronged — or as Pushpa would say not being a 'partner'— a little bit of ambition, and a whole lot of anger. But he gets this right without playing to the gallery.

But barring a few such sequences the film struggles to justify its length — it feels too long for one film, I can't imagine why we need a second part. I understand the temptation to create an epic saga like Nayakan did for Velu Naicker or Narcos for Pablo Escobar but do we need the boilerplate romance portions? These might have been fresh in another film, but in Pushpa , they are a drag. Even when Sukumar tries to involve her in the plot, it feels forced. Although Rashmika does her best to imbue bubbliness and the innocence required in these testosterone-charged surroundings, her brown-facing is unnecessary and ineffective. 

The red sanders, which has driven the people mad after power, gives Pushpa a sense of identity and respect. But the story settles for using it as a mere theme to stack set pieces on, instead of exploring what Pushpa might be willing to sacrifice for it. The music is uneven. It adds precious little to take the proceedings on the screen to mass levels. Sunil, Ajay Ghosh, Anasuya, Shatru, Dhanunjay needed a little more bite to them; they almost always seem tepid compared to Pushpa. 

And then, there's the matter of Fahadh Faasil. The film takes its own sweet time to get him involved – like a video game where the final boss comes. Worse, it is awkward to see him play Bhanwar Singh Sikhawat because his Malayalam-tainted Telugu eats away at the ferocity the background music hints at. The climax, though, risky and non-mainstream, begs for better. 

The most unsatisfying thing about Pushpa is that it only tells half of the story. While Baahubali: The Beginning left us with one big question (Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali?), it also gave us a complete story. Even the ill-fated NTR biopic Kathanayakudu gave us a clear distinction of the man's life and it was easy to judge the first part. 

But Pushpa is merely a series of slowly built setups rather than one complete story so it feels more like I'm writing this review during an inordinately long interval.

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Pushpa: the rise, పుష్పా - the rise.

Directed by Sukumar

Pushpa Raj is a coolie who rises in the world of red sandalwood smuggling. Along the way, he doesn’t shy from making an enemy or two.

Allu Arjun Rashmika Mandanna Jagadeesh Bandari Sunil Varma Dhananjay Ajay Ghosh Anasuya Bharadwaj Rao Ramesh Shatru Fahadh Faasil Shanmukh Raj Tirandasu Ajay Shri Tej Pavari Kalpalatha Mime Gopi Brahmaji Malavika Wales Rajsekhar Aningi Dayanand Reddy Meesam Suresh Master Dhruvan Samantha Ruth Prabhu Jeevan Kumar Shreyas Talpade

Director Director

Producers producers.

Y. Ravi Shankar Naveen Yerneni

Writers Writers

Sukumar Srikanth Vissa

Editors Editors

Karthika Srinivas Antony L. Ruben

Cinematography Cinematography

Mirosław Kuba Brożek

Additional Photography Add. Photography

Production design production design.

Rama Krishna Sabbani Monika Niggotre Sabbani

Stunts Stunts

Ram Chella Lakshman Chella Peter Hein

Choreography Choreography

Ganesh Acharya V J Shekar

Composer Composer

Devi Sri Prasad

Songs Songs

Chandrabose

Sound Sound

Resul Pookutty

Costume Design Costume Design

Srinu Tadala Deepali Noor

Makeup Makeup

Preetisheel Singh

Mythri Movie Makers Muttamsetty Media

Releases by Date

16 dec 2021, 17 dec 2021, 07 jan 2022, 09 jan 2022, releases by country.

• Digital Prime Video
• Theatrical UA
• Digital 15A
• Theatrical 15
• Theatrical 12A Edited "Family Version"

179 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by jack ★★★½ 7

Rewatched it for Fahadh Faasil's underwear.

Review by Nakul ★★★½

PUSHPA is pretty cool-ass, it really lives and dies on the strength of Allu Arjun's screen presence. And what a magnetic presence. Every time he's on screen, every single time, he automatically grabs your full attention. Also the movie looks great, imagine if every other masala movie was shot this clean & lit this well. Loved the setpieces, even the “throwaway” action sequences have a rhythm & style to them. The story is formulaic, the villains are weak and the runtime is too long but it doesn't really matter because the movie is single-handedly elevated by Allu Arjun's pitch-perfect movie star performance.

Review by Michael James ★★★

Allu Arjun’s appealing antics-performance and DSP’s blockbuster songs are easily the major show stealing factors of this emotional action drama. Revolving around red sandalwood smuggling, Sukumar weaves a decent enough storyline that gets powered by its solid rustic setting, engaging high intense moments, terrifically choreographed over the top actions and dynamic cinematography. The supporting cast n performances were good. However, except for lead’s mother, other women characters don’t fit much in the testosterone heavy world. Despite of a bumpy ride with overlong runtime, the proper blend of masala elements provide adequate entertainment to keep the show engaging enough and also ends on a curious note, making you look forward to its next part.

Review by Kibriya⚡ ★★★½ 6

Do you know why this film is almost 3 hours long? 'cause of the hour long slo-mo action sequences. If Zack Snyder saw this film, he'd be proud. Y'all watched the movie for samantha's item number, I watched for Allu Arjun. :/ Should've watched in the theatre when I had chance. Part 2 for sure. Faahad Faasil looks terrific.

Review by jack ★★★ 3

The only scene that made sense was when that boomer blew up his arm by throwing a bomb on himself.

Review by Jawshoeaah ★★ 1

hello director saab. if you wanted to see fahadh faasil and allu arjun stripped down to just their boxers in the climax, you could’ve just asked them privately. why make a whole fucking movie for that? 🧐🤨📸

Review by The Wandering Soul ❤️‍🔥 ★★★½ 3

Nen ikkada Business lo eelu etti kelakadaniki rale Eeleyadanilki vachina 🔥🔥🤙🏻

A Movie like Pushpa can neither be praised as a Masterpiece nor get dismissed for it's flaws, Pushpa is lot more than it looks. Firstly the man without whom the film wouldn't be 5% of what it now the man who carried the whole film throughout the long fucking 3hr runtime Allu Arjun. Never been this surprised after watching AA's performance in any film this is hands down without any doubt his finest performance till date. It was like I don't know anyone called Allu Arjun I only know Pushpa Raj. Bringing out this kind of performance the only credit goes to Sukumar, idk how this man does that…

Review by sydney 2

generally not interested in the gangster saga stories anymore but this was so dynamic and sensual and just fucking cool, the script could have been about anything and i still would've been hypnotized by everything else. in retrospect i absolutely should have risked getting the plague to see this in a theater

Review by Arun George ★★ 3

Who's interested in seeing the rise of yet another generic mass hero these days? From Pushpa's intro scene, it becomes evident that he's invincible . Even if he's just a daily wage laborer, no one can touch him. No one can think one step ahead of him, no one can beat him in a fistfight, and no one can match his dance moves. Poor flirting skills aside, he's written in a pretty God-like way. This might work for Allu Arjun's fans, but for everyone else, the film offers nothing - neither plot-wise, performance-wise, nor technicality-wise. The animated opening bit looks tacky, the performances are everything you expect from a masala film (loud and over-the-top), and the scenes play out exactly how…

Review by cinema_made ★★½ 4

Is it me or anyone get fed up after Fahadh Faasil's introduction? Anyway the film was okay. Watchable only due to Allu Arjun.

Please comment if you liked Samantha's song more than the film😏

Review by Shritan ★★★½ 13

3 hours of constant 'interval-bang' energy with such poised rhythm. One booming curtain-closer after the other. Asala thaggede le.

Review by Adithiyan Curioser ★★½

Vadachennai Rajan be like: Yen daa Ellarumae sonna panna aagidaa mudiyumaa daa.

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• Pushpa: The Rise movie review highlights: Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna's film is a massy ride so far

Pushpa: The Rise movie review highlights: Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna's film is a massy ride so far

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‘Pushpa - The Rise’ movie review: But for a few sparkling moments

The first edition of the two-part gangster drama is a mixed bag, despite a few riveting segments. allu arjun is impressive, but did an over-the-top and caricaturish opponent require a fahadh faasil.

Updated - December 18, 2021 10:11 am IST

Published - December 17, 2021 03:24 pm IST

Actor Allu Arjun in a still from the film Pushpa

An hour into director B Sukumar’s Telugu film Pushpa - The Rise , set in the Seshachalam forest bordering Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, a character makes a frenzied announcement to Pushparaj (Allu Arjun) that the cops are on their trail, with their eyes on the red sandalwood stocked in the godown. What follows in the next few minutes shows yet again why Telugu filmmakers excel in making masala segments that capture viewers’ imagination. How Pushpa hoodwinks the cops and secures the red sandalwood might seem tough in reality, but a larger-than-life Telugu film will make the audiences give into that suspension of disbelief.

• Cast: Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil
• Direction: B Sukumar
• Music: Devi Sri Prasad

After Rangasthalam , Sukumar presents another story in a raw and rustic tone, this time in the Chittoor belt, complete with a smattering of Tamil lingo. The cat and mouse game between the cops and the smugglers in the opening segment serves to show what makes Pushpa stand out from others of his ilk. We see him through the eyes of daily wager Kesava (Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari makes a mark) who goes on to be his loyal apprentice. It’s a sort of a ‘meeting story’ when we are introduced to Pushpa’s audacity to want a lot more than the pittance that the coolies are doled out.

The origin story unravels in greater detail by and by and often harks back to Pushpa being questioned about his family name. It’s a trope that several mainstream films have overused, particularly with a wayward protagonist. Pushpa’s only vulnerability is when someone mocks him of his origins.

Sukumar gives Pushpa a characteristic gait with a raised right shoulder and an ever-present swagger, but never actually makes him vulnerable. Not even when he is taking on supposedly ruthless kingpins at every step of the smuggling syndicate. The three smuggler brothers hardly pose a threat to Pushpa. Mangalam Sreenu (Sunil) appears menacing on a comparative scale. The supposedly brave cop Govindappa (Shatru) is forgotten soon enough and gets a blink-and-miss appearance towards the end. The lack of a staunch opponent makes Pushpa’s rise fairly simple.

What makes Pushpa so ruthless and ambitious? We will never know. The story wants us to be content with the argument that he has never gotten his due since childhood, neither in terms of money nor dignity, and now he wants it all. He knows a thing or two about the predator-prey cycle (the ‘ Daakko Daakko Meka’ song is a catchy, rousing number on screen) and wants to be on top of it. Can he?

Despite the want of more depth in the characterisation, Allu Arjun makes Pushparaj striking. He owns the swagger and is in control of things. He exudes the shrewdness required for his part and brings in restraint in the emotional portions.

Much of Pushpa happens in the forest and the atmospherics add to the immersive quality of the film. Mirosław Kuba Brożek’s camera pulls us into the wilderness, bringing alive the interplay of deep greens and stark browns of the land and its people, contrasted by the sparkling waters. Devi Sri Prasad’s music and background score accentuate the rustic setting.

Pushpa begins as an absorbing tale before it meanders with a silly romance track and crawls post intermission to an underwhelming finish. The less said about the characterisation of women in this film, the better. As Srivalli, Rashmika is required to exude rustic exuberance and nothing more. And who thought it is humorous to have the hero ask the woman to kiss him for ₹5000? Later, Srivalli tells him that she still fell in love with him and thought his actions stemmed from the fact that he did not know better. For a moment, I had hoped this scene was going to set things right, but what she said soon after dashed all hopes.

The much-hyped special song featuring Samantha Ruth Prabhu elicits the expected response in the theatre but you can’t help wondering if someone of her stature and calibre needed to do this. Isn’t it high time item numbers are done away with?

The women in this film range from a weepy, good mother at one end to a paan -chewing, venom-spewing bejewelled wife (Anasuya Bharadwaj) of a smuggler at the other end, both cliches. After Rangamma in Rangasthalam, Anasuya deserved better.

But the biggest disappointment is Fahadh Faasil. The second part will see a lot more of him, but the little we get of him in this film is a dampener. You don’t need a Fahadh Faasil for an over the top opponent.

Pushpa - The Rise is riveting in some segments and bland in others. Allu Arjun shoulders the film, but his coming together with Sukumar should have been for a more absorbing narrative. Perhaps the second part, Pushpa - The Rule , will be better.

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Pushpa: The Rise

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Release Date : December 17,2021

123telugu.com Rating : 3/5

Starring: Allu Arjun, Fahadh Faasil, Rashmika Mandanna, Dhanunjay, Rao Ramesh, Suneel, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Ajay Ghosh

Director: Sukumar

Producers: Naveen Yerneni, Y. Ravi Shankar

Music Director: Devi Sri Prasad

Cinematography : Miroslaw Kuba Brozek

Editor: Karthika Srinivas & Ruben

Pushpa is one of the biggest releases in the last few years. Starring Allu Arjun as the main lead, the film has released today in multiple languages. Let’s see how it is.

Pushpa(Allu Arjun) is a daily wager who smuggles red sandalwood in the Rayalaseema region. His dream is to make it big in the smuggling world and in the process, he takes on the local don Mangalam Seenu(Sunil). With time, he becomes the undisputed kind of red sandalwood smuggling. But Pushpa has a strong opposition in the form of forest officer Shikawat(Fahadh Faasil). How did Pushpa rise to fame and how he takes on Shikawat is the basic story of Pushpa.

Plus Points:

From scene one, Pushpa belongs to Allu Arjun and he is undoubtedly the pillar and major highlight of the film. Be it Allu Arjun’s body language, solid dialogue delivery and screen presence, Bunny aces it all.

Rashmika plays a de glam role and she is amazing in the film. Sunil turns villain for this film and does a decent job. Anasuya as Sunil’s wife was also quite effective.

The comedy scenes between Allu Arjun and his assistant work well in the first half. Fahadh Faasil makes a late entry in the film and does well in the climax. Ajay Ghosh is very good in his negative role.

The action scenes and locations are quite realistic and give the film a grand look. Samantha looks good in the item song. The romance between Allu Arjun and Rashmika has also been designed well.

Minus Points:

One of the major drawbacks of Pushpa is the length of the film. With three hours long, you get a feeling that scenes are dragged in multiple areas. Also, the pace of the film is slow in the second half.

Even though Sunil is good, he is not a solid match to Allu Arjun. The film mainly lacks the hero-villain confrontation scenes in the latter half. As the film is set for the second part, the climax is pale and looks forced.

Technical Aspects:

Music by DSP is top notch as all the songs are superb and even shot well. Lyrics by Chandra Bose are amazing. The fights designed in the second half are impressive. Allu Arjun has been styled superbly in various phases of the film.

The camera work is amazing as the forest visuals and mood of the action drama is highlighted well. Editing and re recording are not that great. One more drawback is the BGM by DSP which is not up to the mark.

Coming to the director Sukumar, he has done a passable job with the film. He starts Pushpa on a strong note and establishes Allu Arjun’s growth well. But as he decided to release the film in two parts, he slows the second half down and there is no solid drama like in previous films of his. But he showcased Allu Arjun superbly.

On the whole, Pushpa is Allu Arjun’s one man show as the icon star delivers a knockout performance. The first half is good but the second half slows down with dull climax. As the hype for the film is good, the film will see good collections. If you ignore the slow pace and predictable story, Pushpa ends as a decent watch.

123telugu.com Rating: 3/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

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Pushpa Movie Review

Article by Suman M Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 7:39 am, 17 December 2021 | Updated on 1:13 pm, 18 December 2021

2 Hr 59 Min   |   Action   |   17 Dec 2021

Cast - Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Sunil, Ajay Ghosh, Fahadh Faasil, Anasuya, Rao Ramesh and Others

Director - Sukumar

Producer - Naveen Yerneni, Y Ravi Shankar

Banner - Mythri Movie Makers

Music - Devi Sri Prasad

Allu Arjun never shied away from experimenting with looks or with the stories. Joining forces with his favorite director Sukumar for the third time, Allu Arjun is coming with his Pushpa – The Rise today to hit the screens. From the first look till the trailer, Pushpa has looks that are rustic and different, the scale that is large, and the characters that promised intrigue.

With many expectations and the release in five languages, the Pushpa is expected to become a landmark film for Allu Arjun. Pushpa is opening with terrific bookings and it is sure to continue for the weekend.

Well, let us see if Pushpa did meet the expectations and the hype it had around. Let’s walk through the review here to know if Pushpa is really a ‘thaggede le’ or not…

What Is It About?

Pushpa Raj (Allu Arjun), a fearless and reckless laborer enters the business of red sander smuggling in Seshachalam forests. His work for Konda Reddy Brothers (Ajay Ghosh, Dhanunjay, and Co) impresses them and he becomes a partner with them within a very short time.

Pushpa falls in love with Srivalli (Rashmika Mandanna) while he parallelly marks his presence in the smuggling circuit. On his way to emerge as a don in red sander smuggling, Pushpa locks his horns with Mangalam Srinu (Sunil), a ruthless smuggling syndicate head.  

How Pushpa takes over the syndicate of the red sander smuggling kingdom and how he deals with Mangalam Srinu, Kondareddy brothers, police and others form the story of Pushpa: The Rise.

Performances

Allu Arjun owns and completely carries the movie on his shoulders. Allu Arjun’s accent and attitude as Pushpa remain the highlight of the film. His body language and mannerisms throughout the film mark a strong impact on the audience. His presence literally blurs all others in the frame. Allu Arjun’s complete make-over with the first look surprised us, but him living in the character as Pushpa Raj simply amazes us.

Sunil as Managalam Srinu looks like a perfect baddie, but his role loses spark later on. His mannerisms and dialect work well for a few scenes. Anasuya as his wife Dhakshayani is alright and she has not got many scenes.

Ajay Ghosh appears in a different look and he impresses with his performance. Dhanunjay as Jolly Reddy is fine in his role as a womanizer. Rao Ramesh appears just in two or three scenes and he is fine.

Jagadeesh Bhandari who played the role of sidekick Keshava makes an impressive appearance in Pushpa. He gets a lengthy role and he did great in it.

Rashmika Mandanna is fine as Srivalli. Her role is very much limited to just love track and she is alright in it.

Fahadh Faasil appears for a short time in the end only to give us an intro of what is going to happen in part 2: The Rule. Fahadh is just alright and his presence as the enemy of Pushpa does not make much impact. Be it his look or his role, he does not look as serious and bad as he is tried to be shown as.

Technicalities

Pushpa is a film that is made in a rustic backdrop that feels is kept intact with the colors and cinematography. The forest shots, fights, and songs too were shot to match the plot.

From the songs, Dakko Dakko Meka is completely shot in the jungle and there is nothing much new in it other than what we watched on the lyrical video. Srivalli song is a melody and his slipper dance step brings a smile every time in it. Ey Bidda is a complete mass song. O Antava Oo Antava song is hot and this is the hottest appearance of Samantha. The background music sounds non-sync and ends up as a drawback.

The editing is fine and the screenplay is good. The run time bothers us during the last half an hour, that too after Fahadh Faasil enters. Also, a few scenes in the love track in the first half could have been cut short.

Allu Arjun Forest Fight Chittoor slang

Thumbs Down

Love Track Predictable scenes showing Pushpa’s ‘Rise’ Last 20 Minutes Background music

Pushpa: The Rise is the story of a laborer rising from rags to riches with his guts and dare. The director Sukumar who always shows a difference right from the story to making went with the standard format of a protagonist rising to power with mostly predictable scenes.

With mostly predictable ideas of the protagonist in smuggling, obvious love track, and weak villain hierarchy, Allu Arjun as Pushpa pushes the movie to a better level with his performance and dialogues. His fearless body language and Chittoor accent were so perfect he made the ordinary scenes interesting. The forest fight with blindfolded Pushpa, was pictured very well with the mix of slow motion and regular shots.

Srivalli and Pushpa’s love track often slows the movie down until something with the smuggling happens. The audience expects never seen ideas of smuggling from Sukumar, while the director chose simple old techniques, which is a small letdown.

The rise of Pushpa is shown in a few simple steps as it highlights the complete downfall of existing kingpins in the smuggling syndicate, which looks a predictable with known narrative. Few scenes like Pushpa bypassing the established big dons like Mangalam Srinu and Konda Reddy brothers are not very convincing.  

With the audience having watched many gangster dramas recently, the scenes highlighting Pushpa’s challenges and how he overcomes them could have been made away from the regular template.

Sunil’s character as Mangalam Srinu makes a good start with an intriguing intro, but his presence and power take a big fall just after the next two scenes. The Rise of Pushpa is saturated at one point when the villain pyramid collapses, but just for the second part introduction, the director forces Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat (Faahadh Faasil).

The episode of Ajay looks forced where the stepbrother often tries to humiliate Pushpa with the ‘surname’, which is later used for Fahadh Faasil to trigger his rivalry with Pushpa.

The run time of 179 minutes does not really bother us until the last 30 minutes of the movie, where Faahadh comes in. The story is dragged for his elevation as bad police and the confrontation scenes with Pushpa are utmost boring. The logic of the director to ignite a rivalry between Pushpa and the new big baddie is too silly. That’s a hint of war coming with egos between Pushpa and Shekhawat.

Apart from the poor reason for the rivalry between Pushpa and Shekhawat, the appearance of Fahadh did not look frightful, instead, he looked weak much in the confrontation scene itself.

Like from the famous gangster series Mirzapur, there are residual characters that are left in Pushpa The Rise which is expected to make a big joint force against Pushpa in the second part: The Rule. The characters that are left helpless but waiting for vengeance are Bhanwar Shekhawat, Mangalam Srinu, Dhakshayani, Jolly Reddy, Ajay, and Taskforce DSP Govindappa.

To conclude, Pushpa: The Rise is a formula-based gangster drama with predictable scenes and flow. The only thing that makes it an interesting watch is Allu Arjun as Pushpa. There are a lot of thug life and taggede le moments, but they alone can’t make it a complete movie as it is depending on characterization itself. It is just Pushpa’s rise without any surprise in it.

Bottom line: Neither Flower Nor Fire

Rating: 2.75/5

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Pushpa: The Rise - Part 1

• A labourer rises through the ranks of a red sandalwood smuggling syndicate, making some powerful enemies in the process.
• Pushpa a labor works for small sum but dreams of living a life of king. But he is always let down by his step brothers for being an illegitimate child of their father. He gets chance to work in dense forest of red sanders where red sanders are smuggled to other countries. The labors are always under the scanner of DSP Govindappa but Pushpa dares to go against everyone creating hurdles for DSP. Pushpa manages to save a smuggling consignment worth crores under the eye of DSP and becomes known to Reddy Brothers. (Konda Reddy, Jakka Reddy and Jolly Reddy) known to do smuggling of red sanders. Pushpa manages to smuggle red sanders often with his tricks by bluffing DSP and his team and becomes close side of Konda Reddy. Pushpa changes his lifestyle and decides to marry Srivelli but his step brothers disclose his mother's relationship with their father thus calling of the marriage. Pushpa who now decides not to stop in reaching heights and finds that Mangalam Sinu, a syndicate member is giving Reddy's gang much lesser share than they deserve and asks Konda Reddy to hike profit. Konda Reddy asks Pushpa to take thing sin his hands as his involvement will lead to war between the two gangs.A fearless Pushpa decides to take control of things leading to disagreements between two gangs. — [email protected]
• Pushpa Raj is a self respecting young man who takes pride in his work. He works at a mill, but leaves it when his owner doesn't like his attitude outside of work. Pushpa goes for Red sanders cutting in the forest. Pushpa lives in a village with his mother Parvatamma, and is the illegitimate son of a local rich man. He had an affair with Parvatamma, but refused to give up his existing family, once she got pregnant. Set up in 1998, Pushpa Raj (Allu Arjun) is a coolie who works to smuggle red sanders, a rare wood that only grows in the Seshachalam Hills of the Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. When DSP Govindappa (Shatru) raids them in the forest, Pushpa hides the stock in the trees and openly challenges Govindappa with the might of his 60 wood cutters, who are armed with axes. The police backs down, but Govindappa assembles a large forces and again surrounds the wood cutters. This time Pushpa is cornered, but he has the presence of mind to escape with the truck laden with the red sanders stock. Pushpa hides the truck in the jungle before surrendering himself to Govindappa. Pushpa is beaten up badly, but refuses to reveal the location of the sanders. Pushpa gains the trust of his employer Konda Reddy (Ajay Ghosh). Konda has 2 brothers Jolly (Jolly is a womanizer and sleeps with all brides on the night of their marriage) & Jakka Reddy (Shanmukh) (the accountant). Konda lost his right arm in a gang fight many yrs ago. Konda send Jolly and Jakka to recover the Sanders. Pushpa forces them to bail him out, and then gets paid Rs 5 Lakhs to reveal that he hid the truck in a lake. With the help of novel ideas to smuggle the red sanders (Put them in fuel tankers, milk trucks etc The trucks are full of liquid but only in top half, and the bottom half contains the red sanders), Pushpa quickly rises through the ranks and becomes Konda Reddy's partner. Pushpa makes a deal with Konda for 4% of the value of smuggled goods. Govindappa figures out how Pushpa was smuggling sanders right under his nose. He confiscates the milk truck and forces Pushpa's men to work for him. Mangalam Srinu (Sunil), a merciless dealer who manages the red sanders syndicate entrusts Konda Reddy to keep 200 tons of his stock safe. As Konda's younger brother, Jolly Reddy (Dhananjaya) is deemed incompetent (due to his womanizing ways), Pushpa is given the job. Govindappa (who knows the location as he had bribed Pushpa's men with rs 50 Lakhs) attempts to raid them but Pushpa throws all the logs into the river, saving it from being seized. Kesava races ahead to the dam and bribes the official to close the gates to stop the logs from floating away. At a party, Pushpa overhears that Srinu is selling the wood at a much higher rate than what they're paid (Srinu pays Rs 25 Lakhs per ton, but sells it for Rs 2 Crores per ton). He asks Konda to demand a fair share but backs down as going against Srinu seems risky. Pushpa meets Srivalli (Rashmika Mandanna) and instantly falls for her. Srivalli ignores Pushpa for the longest time till Pushpa's friend Kesava (Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari) bribes her friends with tickets to a Chiranjeevi movie, to ensure she smiles at Pushpa the next time she sees him. Pushpa is offended when he finds out, but then asks Kesava to offer her Rs 5000 to kiss him. Srivalli's friends force her to meet Pushpa, but she cries to Pushpa saying that she wanted to kiss her husband only. Pushpa decides to marry her in order to reclaim his Rs 5000. On their engagement day, his half-brother Mohan (Ajay) denies Pushpa's lineage because he was born out of wedlock while his mother Parvatamma (Kalpalatha) is injured in the ensuing scuffle. This angers Pushpa, which motivates him to rise higher in life. The next day, he smuggles the wood to Chennai and meets Srinu from whom he demands Rs1 Crore per ton as their share. Srinu refuses and his men attack him but Pushpa overpowers them. He then goes to Chennai himself and cuts a deal to sell the wood at Rs 1.5 Crore per ton, which Konda and Pushpa agree to share equally. Jolly blackmails Srivalli to spend a night with him while holding her father captive. Srivalli goes to Pushpa to save her honor. Enraged, Pushpa badly beats up Jolly, temporarily paralyzing him. Konda, finding out that Pushpa is responsible for his brother's condition, tries to kill him but Srinu's men ambush them. Amid the confusion, Pushpa manages to counterattack them. Konda is killed but Pushpa saves Konda's brother Jakka Reddy. He also captures Srinu's brother-in-law Mogileesu (Raj Tirandasu) and kills him. MP Bhumireddy Siddappa Naidu (Rao Ramesh) arranges a truce between Pushpa and Srinu and appoints Pushpa to manage their syndicate (after Pushpa reveals that he can sell the sanders directly to smugglers in Chennai, Bombay, Delhi and Calcutta. Rate can be as high as Rs 2 Crores/tonnes). After 6 months, Pushpa becomes an influential person. Due to Srinu's inability to avenge his brother-in-law, his wife Dakshayini (Anasuya) slits his throat which injures him, but he survives. Jolly and Daksha bide their time to take their revenge against Pushpa. While Pushpa is at his prime, a ruthless police officer Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat (Fahadh Faasil) takes charge as the district's SP. Pushpa offers him a bribe of Rs 1 Crore. Shekhawat, however, intimidates and ridicules Pushpa for his lineage and not giving respect by addressing him as "Sir". Pushpa gets angry by this insult and fists his fingers. Shekhawat threatens to shoot his hand if Pushpa doesn't unfold his fingers. In a desperate situation, Pushpa backs down and leaves the station. Pushpa spends the next few weeks doing whatever Shekhawat asks him to do. On the night of Pushpa's wedding, Pushpa and Shekhawat drink together. Expressing contempt on how he was ridiculed in their first meeting, Pushpa takes Shekhawat's revolver and shoots himself in his hands. He pressures Shekhawat to get undressed while he also does the same. Pushpa says that his stature as that of a syndicate boss remains the same nonetheless while Shekhawat is nothing without his police uniform to the extent that even his dog would not recognize him if he is naked. Pushpa leaves for his wedding while Shekhawat goes back home semi-naked. As predicted, his dog barks at him. In a rage, he kills the dog and burns the bribe money given by Pushpa.

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'Pushpa The Rise' review: Allu Arjun is all swagger in a film that falters

Let it be said clearly and loudly that the foremost attraction in Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1 is the characterisation of the protagonist, Pushpa, and in equal parts, the performance of Allu Arjun that’s so casually charismatic. Come to think of it, it’s quite strange that we can’t keep our eyes off Pushparaj. The man has unkempt hair, a peculiar manner of walking with the shoulders rather lopsided, clothes that seem barely washed, and when this man does speak, he aims to sting. And yet, Allu Arjun has internalised this character and plays it with such effortless style that it’s impossible not to buy him, quirks and all.

Director Sukumar tries to make him accessible by showing him as an underdog at the very bottom of a vicious power hierarchy. He also, rather manipulatively, establishes that Pushpa is an illegitimate child, chiefly, it seems, to win our support. But he perhaps doesn’t realise that we are already invested in Pushpa, largely on account of terrific dialogues, delivered with the rough bite of the Chittoor dialect. It’s to Sukumar’s credit that this character never strays from this casual arrogance that defines him.

Also to Sukumar’s credit is how he manages to pull off the unenviable job of making a rather dry subject—red sanders-smuggling—so entertaining in unexpected ways. Who would have thought that the visual of tree logs floating by in a river would result in such entertainment? A vast part of this film’s enjoyment is contained in the pre-interval portions when the filmmaker, whilst ensuring every scene explodes with wit and humour, introduces us to the power hierarchy and the impossibility of rising in such a rigged system.

In Wasseypur-esque fashion, we also see that there are barely any decent men in this universe (a police inspector is an exception). Unlike in the Kashyap films though, there’s just a single protagonist here, and played by a celebrated star to boot. I felt the uncomfortable dissonance of watching a murderous smuggler being presented as a mass hero worthy of adulation. Sure, he’s comparatively kind to women (and that’s barely saying anything), but does it necessarily make him worthy of cinematic adoration?

The women are largely bystanders and victims, and while that might well be a commentary of the oppressive world around them, some of the film’s choices show that its view isn’t perhaps so well-intended. The big item song, ‘ Ooh solriya ’, is hardly the subversion many imagined it to be. The lyrics pretend to attack, but the song, the video, the situation… it all aims to please. Srivalli, meanwhile, is defined by the speed at which her saree falls off, each time she comes into focus.

There’s a late half-hearted attempt in the film to force some agency into Srivalli’s character, but the weak monologue from her only seems like a crafty excuse. Pushpa meanwhile revels in his celebration of masculinity by rescuing her, and Srivalli responds by worshipping the sand that he walks on, whilst calling him ‘Saami’. There’s a scene in which a tearful Srivalli readies herself for incoming exploitation by taking bath and dressing up. On some level, it only ends up seeming like a metaphor for roles like this.

Many of these issues raise their ugly head after the interval, with the story losing its sense of direction, as it hurtles into a bizarre end featuring Fahadh Faasil who comes in from nowhere. The subplots stand unresolved, the high of Pushpa’s rise has already been forgotten, and yet, this film goes on and on, like a derailed train that’s a danger to both itself and everyone else.

And yet, let it be said loudly and clearly that Pushpa isn’t a bad film or even a lazy film for that matter. You can see evidence of this largely in—allow me to re-emphasise this—its terrific dialogues and the humour within. And yet, for all of Allu Arjun’s charms, this film should have done better. The question now is, will the makers be allowed another stab at it with a follow-up film? For all its flaws, I do think director Sukumar, on evidence of some inspired filmmaking during the pre-interval portions, deserves a chance to complete his vision. Perhaps that way, we might find some fulfillment too.

Director: B Sukumar Cast: Allu Arjun, Sunil, Rao Ramesh, Rashmika, Fahadh Faasil Rating : 3/5

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Pushpa: The Rise — Part 1 (2021) — Review and Information

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Critical Reception

Pushpa: The Rise — Part 1 was a critical and commercial success. Here’s a breakdown:

• Accolades: The film won several awards including Best Actor (Allu Arjun) and Best Music Direction at the 69th National Film Awards and Best Film at the 67th Filmfare Awards South Wikipedia .
• Praise: The movie is lauded for Allu Arjun’s acting transformation, the action sequences, and the technical aspects like cinematography and music [Times of India]. Some reviewers found the story predictable after the first half, but enjoyable for its mass appeal Onmanorama [invalid URL removed]. Fahadh Faasil’s performance in the climax is particularly noted for setting the stage for the sequel IMDb .

Information

• Plot: Pushpa tells the story of a laborer named Pushpa Raj (played by Allu Arjun) who rises through the ranks of a red sandalwood smuggling syndicate. The film explores the power struggles and violence within this illegal trade [IMDb].
• Director: Sukumar
• Cast: Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil
• Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
• Runtime: 189 minutes
• Accolades: Multiple awards including Best Actor (Allu Arjun) and Best Music Direction (National Film Awards)
• Status: Part 1 of a planned series. Pushpa 2: The Rule is expected for release in December 2024 Wikipedia .

Pushpa: The Rise — Part 1 is a crowd-pleasing action film anchored by a strong performance from Allu Arjun. If you enjoy Telugu cinema or action movies in general, this is one to check out. However, be aware that the story is planned to unfold over multiple parts.

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Pushpa Movie Review: Only Color No Fragrance

Movie: Pushpa Rating: 2.5/5 Banner: Mythri Movie Makers Cast:  Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, Sunil, Anasuya, Rao Ramesh, Dhanunjay, Ajay, Ajay Ghosh and others Music: Devi Sri Prasad Cinematography: Miroslaw Kuba Brozek Editor: Karthika Srinivas, Ruben Art: Ramakrishna-Monika Producer: Naveen Yerneni, Y Ravi Shankar Written and directed by: Sukumar Release Date: Dec 17, 2021

Allu Arjun and director Sukumar’s “Pushpa” has been creating waves ever since the first look of the film was released. The pan-Indian film is out in theaters today amidst high expectations and frenzy.

Let’s analyze.

Story: Pushpa Raj (Pushpa) has no surname. He lives in the Seshachalam forest in Andhra Pradesh. He begins as a coolie of Red sandalwood smuggling and wins the confidence of the syndicate headed by the Kondareddy brothers (Ajay Ghosh and others).

The main boss of the syndicate is Mangalam Seenu (Sunil), who is making crores of rupees by transporting the wood to Chennai and giving peanuts to Kondareddy and other syndicate members. Pushpa throws a challenge to Mangalam Seenu and becomes a new don.

When everyone thinks that he is the new ‘boss’' of the smuggling business, police officer Shekhawat (Fahadh Faasil) enters the scene. 

Artistes’ Performances: Allu Arjun has given an exceptional performance as Pushpa Raj. His transformation of the physique is perfect. His dialogue delivery with Chittoor dialect is spot on. From the beginning to end, the film is his show all the way. The performance will be one of the best in his career.

Among other actors (there are plenty of characters), none leave any impression.

Rashmika Mandanna as the village belle gets her accent right and is sincere in her effort. But her role is predictable to the core. The romantic scenes between them have generated some laughs, but they are too clichéd.

Sunil as the villain gets a terrific makeover, but his role is also not at all effective. Anasuya’s presence doesn’t make any difference. The guy who played Keshava is okay. So are Ajay Ghosh and Kannada star Dhanunjay. Samantha sizzles in the item song but the song is short.

Fahadh Faasil, one of the best star actors working today in India, makes a late entry into the picture. He makes his presence felt. 

Technical Excellence: Cinematography and production values stand out in this film. Miroslaw Kuba Brozek’s camerawork is excellent. He captured the forest sequences so well. He also shot some action episodes aesthetically. The film has rich production values throughout.

Devi Sri Prasad has given viral songs, but he disappoints us with background score. There seems to be some problem with audio quality. Dialogues in Chittoor slang are good.

Highlights: Allu Arjun’s terrific performance

Drawback: Sluggish narration Lack of strong villain(s) Background score Climax  

Analysis After delivering a blockbuster like ‘Rangasthalam’, director Sukumar has once again selected a backdrop, which was not explored much on screen. The smuggling of Red sandalwood is a major issue in Chittoor. But not many films were made on this backdrop in Telugu. Sukumar has focused on this backdrop in “Pushpa” by creating the protagonist as a coolie in this smuggling business.

He has chosen a backdrop of Seshachalam forest to tell the story of a coolie’s rise in the smuggling business and created a world with peculiar characters, but the graph is pretty familiar.

If we observe the screenplay, director Sukumar is not in the best form here. In the beginning, we see the fight between Pushpa and a police officer. The task police officer expectedly fails and leaves the place. Then, we see a lot of build-up for Sunil and Ajay Ghosh’s characters. But they turn out to be weak villains. All the rivals for Pushpa – a task police officer, Sunil, Ajay Ghosh, and Dhananjay, appear to fill the drama till he comes face to face with his nemesis IPS officer Shekhawat (Fahadh Faasil).

Shekhawat comes into the picture 20 minutes before the climax. So, the entire film looks like preparing the ground for the second part. Perhaps, the decision to split the story into two parts and extend the movie to nearly 3-hour long is not a wise choice.

The pre-interval sequence of the hero’s smartness in the smuggling business is one of the main highlights. Similarly, we see a long episode before the ‘Hey Bidda’ song, which is riveting. Fahadh's humiliating Allu Arjun is also a mark of Sukumar’s direction. 

Despite these moments, the film doesn’t engage much in the second half. The songs by Devi Sri Prasad are huge hits. But they lack the same impact on screen. The much-hyped item song also comes in the first half and quickly goes out.

All in all, “Pushpa” belongs entirely to Allu Arjun and his commendable performance. Director Sukumar has shown his mark at many places, but he has not woven it in a watertight manner, making it a pretty predictable rise of a don’s story.

Bottom-line: Needed More Fire

• Saripodhaa Sanivaaram Review: Fine Drama With Weak Story
• Maruthi Nagar Subramanyam Review: For a Few Laughs
• Aay Review: Message Packed With Humor

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