Pushpa 2 review: Allu Arjun's wildfire performance falls flat, Fahadh Faasil impresses; Rashmika biggest let down

And the wait is over. Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna starrer Pushpa 2: The Rule has finally hit the big screens. The run time of the film exceeds 3 hours. Despite the length of the films, ardent fans flocked to the theatre to watch the film's first-day first show on a busy working Thursday.

The Hindi-dubbed version of Pushpa 2, voiced by Shreyas Talpade for Allu Arjun's character, garnered significant attention and contributed to the film's nationwide appeal. While the movie saw an explosive response in the southern states with packed theatres and immense fanfare, the reception in cities like Mumbai and Delhi started on a slower note on day 1.

Pushpa 2 delves deeper into the power struggles, emotional arcs, and high-octane action.

However, the craze is unreal, and the ardent fans who watched the film enjoyed it thoroughly.

Pushpa 2: The Rule is indeed a power-packed sequel directed by Sukumar.

Allu Arjun returns as the charismatic and rebellious Pushpa Raj. The film will continue to explore his life as a red sanders smuggler. Rashmika Mandanna reprises the role as Srivalli, adding emotional depth to the story as Pushpa's wife.

Fahadh Faasil once again brings his intense performance as Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat, the cunning and ruthless police officer. The ensemble cast, including Rao Ramesh, Sunil, Ajay Ghosh, Dhananjaya, and Jagadeesh Prathap Bhandari, carry forward the strong performances and complex dynamics established in Pushpa: The Rise.

The sequel promises to dive deeper into the high-stakes drama, raw emotions, and gripping power struggles that captivated audiences in the first film. Fans are eagerly awaiting updates on its storyline, music, and action sequences, which are expected to set new benchmarks.

Movie-goers who watched Pushpa 2 are lauding Allu Arjun's electrifying performance and the continuation of his iconic character's journey.

Needless to say, Pushpa 2 is gripping, with unexpected twists and turns.

A user wrote, "Commercial cinema at its best, right mixture of Mass, Family Sentiment, conflicts, fight and the film is loaded with the right quantity of goosebumps as well sentiment moments. Pushpa 2 is not just a wildfire, but a Volcano of Commercial Cinema ."

Another wrote, "There was no need to stretch this into 3 parts. The saga could have been ended in 2 parts perfectly. Hence this film feels like a stretched filler."

The third one said, "Another plus is the high-octane action sequences, meticulously choreographed to perfection... Additionally, the dialogues, much like in the first part, amplify the impact of the well-structured sequences."

While some were left unimpressed and called it stretched and boring. A section of netizens were of the view that the second part was slow and the song 'Thappad marungi' is vile.

A user mentioned, "#Pushpa2 has great first half with right mix of entertainment and elevations. But the 2nd half is not as great with b2b action blocks and songs dominating the writing. AA's another sensational performance, the movie is worth watching for him. Blockbuster."

The next one mentioned, "Another user showered praise on Allu Arjun: "#Pushpa2 is ROARING WILDFIRE. Packs a mega impact all across. #AlluArjun smashes the ball out of the park with his performance. 'AA' show in the true sense. The film is definitely a worthy sequel to the first part. Filled with everything right from action, drama, emotions, etc."

Allu Arjun's roaring act impresses fans, but it was Fahadh Faasil that left viewers excited.

"#FahadhFaasil as Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat IPS in #Pushpa2TheRule Back with a bang! UNMATCHABLE SCREEN PRESENCE. Theatres Going Crazy for #Fafa Entry Too (sic)," a fan wrote on X.

The next one mentioned, "a Decently Packaged Commercial Entertainer with a Good 1st Half and a 2nd Half that started well but drops pace significantly in the last hour. The first half starts right where Part 1 ends. This half runs purely on drama which feels slightly slow at times but Pushpa's characterization and the dialogue run the show. The second half starts well and the Jathara sequence comes out superbly but after this sequence, the film dips drastically in the last hour with no aim and gets dragged out till the end. Allu Arjun is absolutely terrific again in this and proves once again why he is one of the most talented actors across India. He deserves all the praise. The length and the last hour are the biggest drawbacks for the film and a better climax would've made a big difference. The film may not have reached the full expectations, but it ends up being a decent commercial entertainer backed by Allu Arjun's terrific performance that deserves a watch."

Fans are disappointed with Rashmika Mandanna's screen presence

The song "Peelings" from Pushpa 2: The Rule has been a subject of mixed reactions. While the choreography faced criticism from some quarters for not meeting expectations, it seems the song has still struck a chord with fans. Several videos of audiences dancing to it in theatres have surfaced on social media.

Driven by Allu Arjun's magnetic screen presence and the film's overall energy, Rashmika's high-voltage energy and catchy dance moves have got the audiences dancing to it. But not everyone's happy with Rashmika's performance as it doesn't seem to add value to the overall script.