‘Pushpa – The Rise’ movie review: But for some great moments

One hour in director B Sukumar’s Telugu film Pushpa – Uday, set in the Seshachalam forest bordering Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, a character makes a frantic announcement to Pushparaj (Allu Arjun) that the police are keeping an eye on the red sandalwood stored in the warehouse. What happens in the next few minutes once again shows why Telugu filmmakers are excellent at creating masala segments that capture the imagination of the audience. How Pushpa deceives the police and secures the red sandalwood may sound daunting in reality, but the larger-than-life Telugu film will plunge the audience into that suspension of disbelief.

Read also | Get ‘First Day First Show’ our weekly newsletter from the world of cinema delivered to your inbox, You can subscribe for free here

Pushpa – Uday, The first installment of the two-part gangster drama traces the rise of the shrewd hero from a daily wager to control a smuggling syndicate. The story takes place when pagers were in vogue and mobile phones were a luxury.

Afterwards Rangasthalam, Sukumar delivers another story in a raw and rustic tone, this time in the Chittoor belt, complete with Tamil language. The cat and mouse game between the police and the smugglers in the opening segment serves to show what makes Pushpa different from others like her. We see him through the eyes of Keshav (Jagdish Pratap Bandari leaves an impression), a daily wage laborer, who later becomes his loyal apprentice. It is a kind of ‘meet ki kahani’ when we are introduced to the audacity of Pushpa, who wants a lot to take out the porters.

The origin story gradually opens up in more detail and Pushpa is often questioned about her family name. This is a trope that has been heavily used by many mainstream films, especially with a wayward protagonist. Pushpa’s only vulnerability is when someone makes fun of her origins.

Sukumar gives Pushpa a distinctive gait with a raised right shoulder and an always present, but that never really makes her weak. Not even when he is confronting the supposedly brutal gangsters at every step of the smuggling syndicate. The three smugglers hardly pose a threat to Pushpa. Mangalam Srinu (Sunil) appears dangerous on a comparative scale. The supposedly brave soldier Govindappa (Harish Uttam) is soon forgotten and finally disappears in the blink of an eye. The lack of a formidable opponent makes Pushpa’s rise quite simple.

What makes Pushpa so ruthless and ambitious? We’ll never know. The story wants us to be satisfied with the argument that he never got his due since childhood, neither in terms of money nor in terms of dignity, and now he wants it all. He knows a thing or two about the hunter-prey cycle (‘dakko dakko mica’ song is a catchy, exhilarating number on screen) and wants to be on top of it. can he?

Despite the lack of depth in the characterization, Allu Arjun makes Pushparaj striking. He is a master of swagger and in control of things. He shows the tact needed for his part and brings restraint to the emotional parts.

much of Pushpa It takes place in the jungle and the atmosphere adds to the immersive quality of the film. Miroslav Kuba Brosek’s camera draws us into the forest, bringing to life the interplay of deep green and dark gray and the land and its people, contrasting with the sparkling waters. The music and background score of Devi Sri Prasad adds to the rustic atmosphere.

Pushpa A silly romance begins as an absorbing story before rolling along the track and crawls after intermission to a poignant finish. The less said about the characterization of women in this film, the better. As Srivalli, Rashmika needs to exude rustic fervor and nothing else. And who thought it was funny that the hero asked the woman to kiss him for ₹5000? Later, Srivalli tells him that she still loves him and felt that his actions stemmed from the fact that he didn’t know better. For a moment, I hoped that this scene would set everything right, but what he said soon dashed all hopes.

The much-hyped special song featuring Samantha Ruth Prabhu gets the expected response in theaters, but you can’t help wondering if someone of her stature and ability needed to do this. Is it time to eliminate item numbers?

The women of this film range from a weeping, good mother to one end paanAt the other end a smuggler’s wife (Anasuya Bharadwaj) chews, spews poison, both clichés. Afterwards Rangamma In Rangasthalam, Anasuya deserved better.

But the biggest disappointment lies with Fahadh Faasil. He will see a lot more in the second part, but the little we get from him in this film is disappointing. You don’t need a Fahadh Fasil for an over from the top opponent.

Pushpa – Uday Some sections have riveting and others are soft. Allu Arjun handles the film, but his arrival with Sukumar should have made for a more gripping narrative. maybe the second part, Pushpa – Rules, would be better.