'Pushpa 2', produced by Mythri Movie Makers in association with Sukumar Writings, was released in theatres today. In this section, we are going to review the latest release.
Plot:
The first part ended with Pushpa Raj announcing that the game had just begun. He walked into his wedding 'mandap' to marry Srivalli after paying back the Superintendent of Police, Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat, in a befitting manner.
The story of the second part takes off when a photo-op with the incumbent Chief Minister results in Pushpa Raj feeling awkward. He decides to unseat the CM and elevate Siddappa by hook or crook. His unreal political aim changes the fate of the red sanders smuggling syndicate in Chittoor. Will he be able to realize his aim? Who are the mighty individuals who can be an obstacle? Finally, will Pushpa's childhood trauma of being called a bas*ard child find closure?
Performances:
Allu Arjun is diligent. He is the mass hero to watch out for. The harsh elite criticism has been that his look is too unsophisticated for the tastes of the urban audience. He approaches the role without a care in the world - his unapologetic acting is audacious in certain scenes.
Rashmika Mandanna is excellent. She saves the day when others fall short. Unfortunately, Fahadh Faasil's SP character is reduced to a caricature. Jagapathi Babu, as a powerful Delhi powerhead, is not a breath of fresh air. Most of the secondary performances lack the required bite. Sunil and Anasuya Bharadwaj don't add much. Rao Ramesh is good, but Brahmaji should have been sidelined. Kalpalatha (as Pushpa's mother) and the actress who played Kaveri are okay.
Technical aspects:
Cinematographer Miroslaw Kuba Brozek sculpts the magnum opus in such a way that the production design (by the Ramakrishna S-Monica Nigotre duo) gets elevated. Devi Sri Prasad's music imbues the film with the necessary musical flourish. Sooseki is the best in terms of its surprising placement, while Kissik and Peelings don't match up to Oo Antava and Saami from the first edition. The background score is inadequate.
The stunt masters (Peter Hein, Kecha Kamphakdee, Dragon Prakash and Nabakanta) create a stunning visceral experience with Allu Arjun in tandem.
Navin Nooli's editing is not flawless. The length (a whopping 200 minutes) is hard to justify. The film could have been ten minutes shorter.
Post-Mortem:
Sukumar's story makes Srivalli a protagonist in a novel way. An innocuous, everyday wish expressed by her drives the story in a new direction. The class war undercurrent is also capitalized by the narrative. The way the song 'Sooseki' is staged in an unlikely episode is subversive.
Pushpa Raj's trauma associated with his identity (the lack of a surname) is deployed in unexpected ways in the film. When a dear one is in danger, he brings a whole district to a standstill.
The pre-climax fight would have looked artificial had it not been for Allu Arjun's image as an impossible dancer. It is in this stretch that his impeccable talent is harnessed the best by the stunts team. The Jathara episode, lasting about 17 minutes long, is another arresting stretch.
Glaring flaws? Yes, there are. For all the power and resources Shekawat and other rivals of Pushpa Raj wield, they behave cluelessly until it snowballs into an existential crisis. If shadowing an individual could tell you where the red sanders are hidden, what were they waiting for? If a disguise is all it takes to know where Pushpa's men go to work every day, how come Govindappa (the sincere cop from the first part) failed at it for so long?
Pushpa's search for sources of funding is always an easy job. He dares to dream and boom! His modus operandi is hardly believable.
Fahadh Faasil's characterization is uneven. Is he a mad man? Is he an irrational clown? Even if he is a bit of these, why indulge him for so long? The character looks dispensable.
Closing Remarks:
'Pushpa 2' works if you watch it as a pure, unfiltered, testosterone-powered actioner. Watch it for the momentous highs delivered by Allu Arjun's heroism and Sukumar's vision. Despite writing-related flaws and pacing issues, the sequel is a thorough winner.
