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Pushpa 2 The Rule Review: Allu Arjun Reigns Supreme, Rashmika Mandanna & Fahadh Faasil Support With Gloriously Over-The-Top Performances

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Title: Pushpa 2: The Rule

Director: B. Sukumar

Cast: Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, Jagapathi Babu, Dhananjaya, Rao Ramesh, Sunil, Anasuya Bharadwaj and others.

Where: In Theatres

Rating: 3.5 stars

Brace yourselves for a cinematic juggernaut where gravity isn’t just defied but utterly dismissed, and the ego is not merely bruised but gloriously worshipped. This film is the sequel to the 2021 blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise. It returns with a vengeance, promising not just a continuation of the saga but a leap into the stratosphere of South Indian mass cinema, where subtlety is but a quaint myth.

The film picks up where its predecessor left off—Pushpa Raj, essayed by the ever-charismatic Allu Arjun, has traded his local smuggling operations for an international playground. From the dense red sandalwood forests of Chittoor to global domination, Pushpa’s rise is nothing short of folklore-worthy. His awkward gait and signature hand gesture are back, more flamboyant than ever, as he bulldozes adversaries, systems, and, occasionally, logic itself.

Director Sukumar pulls out all the stops in delivering a spectacle that unapologetically caters to its target audience. The narrative blends action, drama, romance, and humour with the finesse of a curry where every spice screams for attention. The plot is delightfully absurd—Pushpa overthrows a Chief Minister because his wife Srivalli (Rashmika Mandanna) desires a photograph with the politician, halts an entire town to rescue his kidnapped niece, and schools a megalomaniacal IPS officer Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat (Fahadh Faasil) with gravity-defying stunts. Pushpa doesn’t merely fight; he performs physics-defying acrobatics with limbs tied and eyes obstructed, ensuring every punch lands as a metaphorical roar.

The dialogues are the kind that demand whistles and hoots, with lines like “Pushpa ka faisla mandir ka prasad jaisa hai…” or “Mai jhukhunga nahin sala,” ensuring they’ll echo in college canteens for years. Yet beneath the bombast lies a surprisingly resonant emotional arc. Pushpa’s journey is fuelled by a childhood scar—a bruised ego that morphs into his raison d’être. It’s this vulnerable core, exaggerated to a cinematic extreme, that holds the audience captive through the 200-minute marathon.

Performances are gloriously over the top, with Allu Arjun reigning supreme. His Pushpa is magnetic, maddening, and everything a mass hero is meant to be. Fahadh Faasil matches him beat for beat as his nemesis Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat, and their clash is a testosterone-charged spectacle. Rashmika Mandanna as Srivalli lends charm, though she often feels relegated to the sidelines, while the ensemble cast gamely contributes to the chaos.

Technically, the film is a marvel. Devi Sri Prasad’s music is a pulse-pounding delight, elevating every dramatic confrontation and choreographed brawl. Mirosław Kuba Brożek’s cinematography captures the glitz of Pushpa’s world with vivid, larger-than-life visuals. The VFX oscillates between dazzling and cartoonish, but it’s all in service of the spectacle.

For all its flaws—pacing that sags under its gargantuan runtime, a narrative that occasionally trades logic for lunacy, and a penchant for excess—it’s impossible to ignore the sheer magnetism of Pushpa 2. It’s indulgent, ridiculous, and thoroughly entertaining. The film concludes with a clear promise of more chapters to follow, and why not? In Pushpa’s world, the rise never ends—it merely finds new heights to conquer.

Bollywood

Sanjay Dutt, Palak Tiwari-starrer ‘The Bhootnii’ trailer is all about ghosts, gadgets and guns

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Mumbai, March 29: The trailer for the upcoming film “The Bhootnii”, starring Sanjay Dutt, Palak Tiwari, Mouni Roy, and Sunny Singh, was unveiled on Saturday. It promises a thrilling blend of fun and spookiness.

The trailer is filled with witty punchlines, eerie thrills, and a generous dose of Sanjay’s iconic swag. The Bhootnii promises to transport audiences into a world where horror meets humor in the most unexpected ways.

The makers launched the trailer of the movie at a mega event in Mumbai in presence of the entire star cast.

It was on February 26, when Sanjay had revealed the title of the film, which was earlier called “The Virgin Tree”, on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivratri. It was also revealed that the project will be hitting the theatres on April 18, 2025.

The makers had also shared a teaser, which gives an insight into the mystical world where ‘love turns into darkness’.

Soham Rockstar Entertainment and Three Dimension Motion Pictures are presenting “The Bhootnii”, which has been produced under the banner of A Soham Rockstar Entertainment Production by Deepak Mukut, Sanjay Dutt, Hunar Mukut, and Maanayata Dutt.

Additionally, Sanjay’s lineup includes the much-awaited sequel “Welcome to the Jungle.” The Ahmed Khan’s directorial enjoys an ensemble cast with Akshay Kumar, Raveena Tandon Disha Patani, Suniel Shetty, Lara Dutta, Bobby Deol, Jacqueline Fernandez, Paresh Rawal, Arshad Warsi, Rajpal Yadav, Johny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, and Tusshar Kapoor.

The film is the third installment to the “Welcome” franchise. It was first released in 2007 and the second part Welcome Back hit the screens in 2015.

Furthermore, Sanjay will also be seen playing a crucial role in “Son of Sardaar 2”. The drama has Ajay Devgn and Mrunal Thakur as the lead pair. Directed by Vijay Kumar Arora, Ajay Devgn has produced the film under the banner of Devgn Films in collaboration with Jio Studios.

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Entertainment

Sushant Singh Rajput Death Case: CBI Closure Report Vindicates Bandra Police’s Investigation, Confirms No Foul Play

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Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) closure report in the case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, 34, vindicates that the Bandra Police’s investigation was headed in the right direction at the time. Five years after the actor’s death, the CBI recently submitted closure reports in two related cases at the Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Bandra, including the one concerning his death in June 2020.

Agency officials confirmed that their investigation found no foul play in his demise, calling it “a simple case of suicide.” This report supports the Bandra Police’s initial investigation and affirms that their inquiry was on the right track before the case was transferred to the CBI.

On June 14, 2020, Sushant Singh Rajput’s body was found at his rented apartment in Bandra West. At that time, the Bandra Police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR).

However, several politicians, a few celebrities, a few media personalities, and a section of society questioned the Mumbai Police’s investigation, alleging that the actor had been murdered or driven to suicide. Eventually, after conducting its investigation, the CBI found no evidence of foul play and closed the case.

The CBI’s closure report has reinforced that the Bandra Police’s initial investigation was thorough and correctly directed. The Bandra Police had registered the ADR and investigated the matter for 46 days before the case was handed over to the CBI.

During those 46 days, some politicians, celebrities, and sections of the media cast doubts on the credibility of the Mumbai Police, attempting to tarnish its image. However, in the end, it has been proven that their investigation was thorough and impartial.

One of the prime investigating officers (Bandra police) of the case, who was among the first to arrive at the scene after the actor’s death, spoke after the closure report was filed, “I was 100% confident in the findings mentioned in the CBI’s report, and my seniors trusted my investigation. I thank the CBI, but I wish the results had come earlier—it has now been almost five years. I investigated only the ADR, not the other related cases. Officers who handle an investigation from the beginning always know everything. My inquiry was based on the post-mortem report. At that time, many different angles emerged, and we examined all of them thoroughly.”

He further added, “The CBI is also part of the police force, and they conducted a good investigation. When the case was transferred to the CBI, I had no issue because they, too, are part of the same law enforcement system. Whether we work under the central or state government, we belong to the same fraternity. I had a good experience working with the CBI. The Mumbai Police never faced political pressure. However, various illogical theories surfaced in the media and on social media, and the COVID-19 pandemic was also ongoing at the time. Despite all this, nothing impacted our investigation.”

Bhushan Belnekar was the investigating officer in the actor’s ADR case. Along with him, Padmakar Devre, Senior Police Inspector Nikhil Kapse, PSI Ekta Pawar, and Sub-Inspector Vaibhav Jagtap were part of the investigative team. Belnekar, Devre, and Kapse have since retired.

Another police officer from the Bandra Police investigation team stated, “This report proves that our investigation was on the right track. No political agenda influenced us. During our inquiry, we considered all the angles raised by the media and social media. We did not overlook a single possibility and examined every aspect thoroughly. From the beginning, the circumstances, medical reports, and forensic analysis indicated that it was a case of suicide.”

He further mentioned, “The pandemic posed an additional challenge for us. We conducted our investigation based on the available inputs. Many theories emerged, but we found no evidence to support the murder theory or abetment of suicide or murder. All case records have been maintained. At that time, his relatives immediately did not file any complaints.”

When asked whether the Mumbai Police’s morale was affected after the case was transferred to the CBI, he responded, “Our morale was not affected. In fact, we believed that the CBI would conduct a thorough investigation, and now their findings have validated our work.”

The actor used to stay in his sixth-floor duplex flat at Mont Blanc Apartments near Joggers’ Park in Bandra West, where his body was found on June 14, 2020.

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Crime

New India Cooperative Bank: Bollywood Actress Preity Zinta Received ₹1.5 Crore Loan Remission, Reveals EOW Probe

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Mumbai: Bollywood actress Preity Zinta received a loan remission by New India Cooperative Bank. The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) is looking into Hiren Bhanu, the former chairman of the bank, for allegedly approving loans in return for bribes, as per reports.

The investigation has revealed that the actress benefitted from a remission on her loan. The police said that on January 7, 2011, a loan of Rs. 18 crore was sanctioned to actress Preity Zinta. The loan was declared a Non-Performing Asset (NPA) on March 31, 2013. The amount was later settled at Rs. 10.74 crore, and a remission of Rs. 1.55 crore was granted to her. The amount was paid on April 5, 2014, according to a report by Media quoting an EOW officer.

In February, the Kerala Congress unit alleged that the bank had waived off a Rs 18 crore loan in exchange for Preity Zinta’s support for the BJP. In response, Zinta clarified that she had an overdraft facility with the bank over 12 years ago, which was fully repaid more than a decade ago. She stated that her account had been closed since then, refuting any claims that she benefited from the bank’s financial issues.

While replying to the post of the Congress Kerala, Actress stated “No I operate my social media accounts my self and shame on you for promoting FAKE NEWS ! No one wrote off anything or any loan for me. I’m shocked that a political party or their representative is promoting fake news & indulging in vile gossip & click baits using my name & images. For the record a loan was taken and FULLY PAID BACK – over 10 years ago. Hope this clarifies and helps so there are no misunderstandings in the future.”

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) officer mentioned that they are reviewing the documents from the bank as part of their investigation.

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