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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

Yash was surprised to learn that Kiara Advani had never done a rain sequence before ‘Toxic’

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Mumbai, Aug 14: Yash revealed that he was surprised to learn that Kiara Advani had never done a rain sequence before ‘Toxic’, despite spending so many years in Bollywood.

Addressing the album launch event of ‘Toxic’ in Mumbai, Yash shared that when he asked Kiara if she had done a rain sequence, she said no, and he convinced her that it was going to be easy.

Yash was heard saying, “When Kiara came into this film, I was a little worried because it is too demanding. The first time we spoke, I asked her, ‘have you ever done the rain sequence?’ and she said, ‘Never, how is it?’ And I was like ‘Oh, all these years you have worked and you have never done a rain sequence’. She said, ‘No’. And I said, ‘Yeah, it’s going to be good, easy’.”

Yash also praised Kiara, saying that the actress came with 100% commitment despite being pregnant with her daughter at the time of the shoot.

He revealed that he and director Geetu Mohandas were extremely scared and acted like Kiara’s bodyguard during the shoot.

“And then I saw the way she dedicated herself, and I must say, even after she was pregnant, she came with 100% commitment. We all were so scared. I was more worried. Gitu was more worried. We were more like bouncers or bodyguards, where we used to take care of her. But she has really dedicated herself. So thank you, Kiara. This one is special,” the ‘KGF’ actor went on to add.

Yash even went on to call another leading lady from ‘Toxic’, Tara Sutaria, a ‘stunning beauty’.

“I was told, ‘You know in your whole movie the character what she is playing that looks authentic like a Disney queen or a character from that era’. So that makes me a little conscious standing next to her that I am not looking according to the period or because she is so good looking that that’s making me look little local,” he said.

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Yash calls co-star Sudev Nair the ‘Invisible Pillar’ of Toxic

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Mumbai, Aug 13: Yash lauded his ‘Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups’ co-star Sudev Nair for his immense commitment and contribution to the highly anticipated action-thriller.

Speaking during the grand trailer launch event for ‘Toxic’, Yash called Sudev the ‘invisible pillar’ behind the movie, singling him out as one of the movie’s key backbones.

The ‘KGF’ actor even went as far as to say that ‘Toxic’ would not have happened if it weren’t for Sudev.

Yash expressed his deep gratitude to Sudev, saying, “If not for Sudev, this movie wouldn’t have happened. Every time somebody’s dates could not be accommodated, he would make up for it.”

Yash also revealed that Sudev acted as an “invisible pillar” during the production of the action entertainer.

He shared that Sudev stepped up continuously, making sure that the shooting schedules remained uninterrupted despite complex date clashes among the cast.

Going by the recently released trailer of ‘Toxic’, the eagerly awaited actioner talks about the complex relationship between Raya and his son, Ticket, both roles played by Yash. These two are surrounded by a web of relationships and rivalries.

The power-packed preview included all the elements of a masala entertainer – striking visuals, jaw-dropping action, intense characters, and complicated relationships.

Made under the direction of Geetu Mohandas, ‘Toxic’ enjoys a promising cast with Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, Akshay Oberoi, and Sudev Nair in key roles, along with others.

Backed by KVN Productions, along with Monster Mind Creations, ‘Toxic’ is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on 26 August.

Shot simultaneously in English and Kannada, ‘Toxic’ will also be available to the audience in dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam.

The camerawork for the drama has been performed by Rajeev Ravi, whereas Ujwal Kulkarni has looked after the editing department of the film.

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Mini Mathur calls ‘Alliance’ the best digital detox experiences of her life: Had so much fun

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Mumbai: Mini Mathur, the winner of the reality show ‘Alliance’, called it the best digital detox experience of her life. She shared that she did not miss her phone at all during her time in the show.

Mini said that, given it was her first experience of a reality show, she was surprised that she ended up having so much fun.

The ‘Mind the Malhotras’ actress was asked, “This was your first reality show, while many contestants had years of experience in this space. How challenging was the learning curve in the beginning, and what surprised you the most?”

Mini believes that the fact that she did not enter the show with any preconceived notion ended up working in her favour.

“I did not come with the sole intention of winning. Of course, I did not come to lose either, but my focus was simply to enjoy every challenge and give it my best. I think people connected with that enthusiasm,” she added.

Explaining her strategy for ‘Alliance’, Mini added, “Many people told me that reality shows are all about creating drama, speaking to the cameras, and manufacturing conflicts. But I never wanted to be known for that. I wanted people to see me exactly as I am—authentic. That is how I played the game.”

Talking about her learning curve, she said, “The learning curve lasted through the first couple of weeks. Fortunately, many contestants were also new to reality television, so we were all learning together. That made the environment much more comfortable because there were fewer preconceived ideas.”

Mini also revealed how the show unexpectedly turned out to be a fun experience for her, also becoming the best digital detox of her life.

“What surprised me the most was how much fun I ended up having. I honestly thought I would come out mentally exhausted, physically drained, and probably needing therapy. Instead, I came out feeling sharper, more focused, and fitter than I have felt in a very long time,” she concluded.

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