Story
Born out of wedlock, Pushpa Raj (Allu Arjun) is angry that people humiliate her for not having a surname. Of course, his desire to earn big money and fame becomes his ultimate goal. Where does he live? In a forest where red sandpaper is smuggled. So joining this business is a natural choice for him. By nature, he is not satisfied with small successes in business. Don wants to be. How he achieves this is the main story.
Analysis
Moving away from contemporary urban stories, director Sukumar reinvented himself with 'Rangasthalam' by exploring rural themes and period dramas. The film's huge commercial success inspired him to follow the same path. His latest film, Pushpa The Rise, the first of a two-part drama, is set in Seshachalam forest in Andhra Pradesh, where red sandpaper smuggling is rampant. While 'Rangasthalam' was set in the 1980s, 'Pushpa The Rise' spans the 1990s.
Sukumar has a unique style of writing interesting characters. So is the characterization of Pushpa Raj. There is a lot of depth to the characterization. She is Pushpa Raj but prefers to be called Pushpa. The disgrace he faces because of his birth is what drives him to become the king of his place. The main character is not a typical hero. He is an illegitimate child, a smuggler, a man with a slight hunchback. None of these characteristics are associated with the usual commercial hero in movies. Sukumar dared to add them. He also set the story in Seshachalam forest and takes us deep into the forest with his story.
Sukumar
Sukumar starts the film with a bang. The first half of the film is quite engaging. The entire introduction of the characters, the playfulness of Pushpa Raj and several comedy scenes keep our interest. One of the best scenes of the first half is Pushpa Raj's rage when she is humiliated in the Pelli Chopulu scene. Another interesting scene: Pushpa Raj challenges the main villain (played by Sunil) by entering his house.
But once everything is defined, it fades. Because Sukumar tried to play the same elements in the second part as well. It turns out to be the usual formula, the rise of the underdog.
His biggest trump card in the film is Allu Arjun's characterization. Allu Arjun also owned the role and gave the best performance. But apart from Allu Arjun's role, the other characters don't have the same arc.
Each of the characters has a different move. But the depth of their roles is superficial.
Many scenes are inspired by it and this is where the story takes our interest. But the second half continues without a strong confrontation. The twist comes moments before Fahadh Faasil's arrival. He is Pushpa Raj's enemy. @ Another mistake is that the movie starts with Pushpa Raj's friend Keshavan's voice. But the voting ends long before the climax. Some roles may get their due in the second part of the film, but they don't make much of an impact here. Overtime is an unforgivable flaw. It is three hours long with a template story. Moreover, it would have been different if the film had been shot as a part.
Allu Arjun
The biggest strength of the film is Allu Arjun. His performance is brilliant. He gave himself completely to the role and played it with confidence. This is one of his best performances. His Chittoor dialogue needs applause. Fahadh Faasil makes a strong impression with just 15 minutes of his presence.
Rashmika Mandanna has played her role well. His Chittoor slangs are also believable. But scenes like her agreeing to kiss the hero for 5000 rupees are not good at all. The rest of the actors don't make much of an impact.
Devi Sri Prasad has delivered yet another great album. All his songs have become popular. "Saami Saami" and "Hey Bidda" are selected. But the background score is not at the required level. The cinematography is also outstanding. But the mix of tacky visual effects and noisy sound comes across brilliantly. @ 'Pushpa The Rise' is totally an Allu Arjun show. Its performance is its main strength. The second part of the film lacks "fire" and is the main problem that lasts for a long time.
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