The sequel was officially announced in December 2021, shortly before the release of the first film, with the titlePushpa 2 and later rebranded asPushpa 2: The Rule in August 2022.[9][10] Although a portion of the film was initially shotback-to-back with the first film, director Sukumar revised the storyline, leading toprincipal photography beginning in October 2022. The film features music composed byDevi Sri Prasad, cinematography byMirosław Kuba Brożek, and editing byNaveen Nooli. Made on a budget of₹400–500crore,[3][11] it is among themost expensive Indian films ever produced. With a runtime of 200–224 minutes,[12][2] it is also one of thelongest Indian films.[13]
A consignment ofred sandalwood arrives at theYokohama port in Japan, where workers are shocked to find Pushpa hidden inside one of the containers. He attacks them, demanding payment for the load but is shot and falls into the sea, triggering a flashback.
After humiliatingSP Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat,[b] Pushpa rises to power as a respected smuggler, while Shekhawat goes into hiding. Shekhawat secretly masquerades as a laborer and intercepts a massive sandalwood consignment. Meanwhile, Pushpa meets theChief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Narasimha Reddy, but is denied a photograph with him to avoid political backlash. Offended, Pushpa vows to topple the government by making Siddappa the Chief Minister, raising ₹500 crores through sandalwood smuggling.Pushpa strikes a deal with Central Minister Kogatam Veera Pratap Reddy and meets international buyer Hameed inMaldives to sell 2,000 tons of sandalwood for ₹5,000 crores. Several smugglers join Pushpa's syndicate, but Mangalam Srinu and Dakshayani, along with Shekhawat, plot to sabotage the operation. Shekhawat kills one of the syndicate members, causing fear among the others, who urge Pushpa to relinquish his leadership to Srinu. Siddappa later, tries to finish the rivalry between Pushpa and Shekhawat and asks Pushpa to say sorry to Shekhawat at a meeting. However, Pushpa again brutally disrespects Shekhawat for being a corrupted cop, later Shekhawat swears to catch all the consignment of red sandalwood.
Pushpa, however, manages to use his tricks and ways to smuggle the sandalwood toChennai until its final destination inSri Lanka. During the transport, Shekhawat catches up and shoots down all the trucks, forcing the drivers to escape. The media lauds Shekhawat for the raid, but Srinu realizes the load was not sandalwood but Sandra, a wood that resembles red sandalwood but holds no market value. Pushpa had instead created bullock carts with the actual load and transported it to Chennai, indirectly aided by Shekhawat himself. Shekhawat asks Srinu to get 1 tonne of original red sandalwood to fool the Examination committee and works on to trace Pushpa's original consignment. In the news, it is shown that the consignment caught was real sandalwood, causing fear amongst the syndicate members. Later, they hold a meeting where everyone questions Pushpa about the whereabouts of the original consignment. Pushpa ensures that it is safe and tells the location of the load only to Jakka Reddy.
Meanwhile, Srivalli discovers she is pregnant, and Pushpa celebrates. However, tragedy strikes when his niece, Kaveri, is assaulted during the Jathara festival by Bugga Reddy and his gang. Pushpa beats them up, humiliates them, and sents them back. Shekhawat eventually obtains permission and manages to track the consignment toRameswaram as he had spied on Jakka Reddy but fails to capture it before it crosses the Indian-Sri Lankan border. However, Hameed's gang is caught by the police and while fleeing, Hameed's carrollsover, in which Jakka Reddy is killed and Hameed is gravely injured. Shekhawat gets to know from him that the sandalwood was going to Japan and Pushpa was going to get the money throughhawala. Hameed was the only one who knew the name of the Japanese broker, who would ensure the money would be delivered to Pushpa, but before telling him the name of the broker, he is killed by Shekhawat.
Shekhawat then eventually breaks the connection between Pushpa, the original consignment, and Japan. To obtain the money for the consignment, Pushpa prepares to travel to Japan by stowing away in a ship container, whereupon reaching the Yokohama Port, he fights theyakuza, bringing the story back to the beginning of the film. As Pushpa is shot and falls in the sea, he emerges back, and proves to the Japanese boss, Hiroshi, that he is the owner of the sandalwood consignment. Eventually, Hiroshi delivers the money to Pushpa and asks him to deal with him directly in the future, thus removing all the brokers and enhancing the partnership between India and Japan. Pushpa uses the money to make Siddappa the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, as promised. He then goes to Jaali Reddy's house to mourn the death of Jakka Reddy. Pushpa tries to negotiate with Jaali, however, the later ignores him and continues their rivalry. Shekhawat becomes furious as he was going to get exposed for catching fake sandalwood and while burning the storage site, he seemingly kills himself in the blaze.
As Pushpa, Siddappa, and his gang celebrate, tragedy strikes again as Kaveri is kidnapped and assaulted by Bugga Reddy, who wanted revenge for his humiliation at the Jathara festival. Later, it is revealed that Bugga Reddy is the nephew of Minister Veera Pratap Reddy, who tries to negotiate with Pushpa to leave Bugga alone. However, a furious Pushpa manages to rescue Kaveri and brutally kills Bugga and his gang, along with Subba Reddy, Bugga's father and Pratap Reddy's younger brother. At their funeral, Pratap Reddy along with Srinu, Dakshayani, Jaali Reddy, Murugan, and the others swear revenge against Pushpa. Pratap Reddy then asks about an important mysterious person as he was not present at the funeral.
Pushpa's elder brother, Mohan, later apologises to Pushpa and his family for all the mistreatment he caused and invites them to Kaveri's wedding, accepting them wholly as his family. As Pushpa reconciles with his estranged family at Kaveri's wedding, the mysterious figure detonates a bomb at the wedding.
Before the release ofPushpa: The Rise in 2021, the film was announced to release intwo parts, with the filmmakers stating that the maiden part would release that year, whereas the latter part would release the next year.[14] Initially, 10% of the sequel's footage was shot back-to-back with the first part, however, Sukumar decided to alter the sequel's story.[15] The scripting part of the film was completed by July 2022 inHyderabad.[16] The official title,Pushpa 2: The Rule, was announced on 22 August 2022. An inauguralmuhurat puja ceremony was held on the same day in Hyderabad with the presence of the film's cast and crew.[17][18]
Sukumar wrote the film's script while Srikanth Vissa wrote the dialogues.[19] Sukumar further retained most of the technicians from previouspart including cinematographerMiroslaw Kuba Brozek, editorKarthika Srinivas andRuben, art director S. Ramakrishna and Monica Nigotre and sound designerResul Pookutty and Vijay Kumar.[20][21]Deepali Noor andSheetal Sharma served as costume designers while Preetisheel Singh was hired as character designer. Peter Hein, Kecha Khamphakdee, Dragon Prakash and Nabakanta were hired as stunt directors. Dance choreographers of the film includesPrem Rakshith,Ganesh Acharya,Sekhar, Vijay Polaki and Shrashti Verma.[22]
Principal photography began with a test shoot on 30 October 2022 inHyderabad.[32][33] In January 2023, filming took place inVisakhapatnam.[34] In March 2023, scenes were shot inBangalore.[35] Rumours were circulated that the shooting of the film was stopped as director was unsatisfied but later turned out to be false as shooting was again started after a few days.[36][37]
In April 2023, forest scenes were shot inMalkangiri district ofOdisha.[38] Jagapathi Babu joined cast in April 2023.[39] Fahadh Faasil joined the sets in May 2023 while Rashmika joined the sets in June 2023.[40][41] On 3 June 2023, the bus carrying crew members met with an accident near theVijayawada–Hyderabad Expressway.[42] In July 2023, an action sequence was shot inVisakhapatnam Port including 50 stuntmen.[43] In August 2023, scenes were shot inRamoji Film City.[44][45] In November 2023, the filming resumed in Hyderabad.[46] In December 2023, the filming was postponed due to Allu Arjun's health.[47]
In March 2024, scenes were shot in Vizag andYaganti Temple.[48][49] It was later reported that the makers spent₹50–60 crore for theGangamma Jatara performance and a fight sequence.[50][51] In April 2024, an underwater sequence was shot in Hyderabad.[52] In May 2024, it was reported that the film will have multiple endings and to maintain secrecy the makers opted the no phone policy on the film set.[53][54] In July 2024, it was reported that shooting of film was delayed due to rift and creative differences between Allu Arjun and Sukumar,[55][56] however they were later proven to be false rumours as shooting was restarted again in Hyderabad.[57][58][59]
Sets depicting 1990s and 2000sJapan andMalaysia were recreated at Ramoji Film City, though plans were toshoot on location, recces atBangkok, Malaysia, and Japan determined that budget and time constraints would not allow it.[60] In August 2024, the climax of the film was shot.[61][62] Item number featuring Sreeleela was filmed in November 2024 in Hyderabad.[63][64] The entire filming was wrapped by late November 2024.[65][66][67]
Post-production
The VFX of the film were provided byMakuta VFX; R.C. Kamalakannan served as thevisual effects supervisor.[68]Resul Pookutty and Vijay Kumar served as thesound designers.[69]Shreyas Talpade andJis Joy dubbed for Allu Arjun in the dubbed Hindi and Malayalam versions, respectively.[70][71] In May 2024, both Ruben and Karthika Srinivas opted out of the film due to scheduling conflicts and creative differences, resulting in them being replaced byNaveen Nooli; Sukumar's earlier collaborator.[72][73] The first half of the film was edited by October 2024.[74][75] Rashmika completed dubbing for her portions by November 2024.[76]
The final copy of the film was ready by late November 2024 and was submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) that month.[77] On 28 November 2024, the film received aU/A certificate from theCensor Board, with a finalised runtime of 200 minutes after few words and excessive violent scenes were censored.[78]
The background score and soundtrack of the film were composed byDevi Sri Prasad, with lyrics written byChandrabose.[79][80] The film also features additional background score composed bySam C. S.[81] The music rights of the film were acquired byT-Series for ₹65 crore.[82] The first single titled "Pushpa Pushpa" was released on 1 May 2024.[83] The second single titled "Sooseki (The Couple Song)" was released on 29 May 2024.[84] The third single titled "Kissik" was released on 24 November 2024.[85] The fourth single titled "Peelings" was released on 1 December 2024.[86] The fifth single titled "Gango Renuka Thalli" was released on 5 December 2024 along with the album.[87][88]
The first-look poster along with an announcement glimpse video was released on 8 April 2023, coinciding with Allu Arjun's 41st birthday.[89][90] The teaser of the film was released a year later on 8 April 2024, coinciding with Arjun's 42nd birthday.[91][92] A press meet was held on 24 October 2024 in Hyderabad where the new release date of the film was revealed.[93][94]
Promotional activities were scheduled inPatna,Kolkata,Chennai,Kochi,Bengaluru,Mumbai andHyderabad.[95][96] The film's trailer was released on 17 November 2024 at an event inGandhi Maidan,Patna.[97][98] On 24 November 2024, a pre-release event was held in Leo Muthu Indoor Stadium,Sri Sai Ram Engineering College inChennai.[99] On 27 November 2024, pre-release event was held at Liwa Hall, Grand Hyatt inKochi.[100] A press-meet was held on 29 November 2024 in JW Marriott Sahar inMumbai.[101] On 2 December 2024, pre-release event was held in Police Grounds,Yousufguda in Hyderabad.[102] Later, special press conferences were held on 7 December 2024 in Hyderabad and 12 December 2024 inNew Delhi.[103][104] On 9 February 2025, a success meet was held in Hyderabad.[105][106]
Release
Theatrical
Pushpa: The Rule was theatrically released on 5 December 2024 in standard,IMAX,4DX,D-Box and ICE formats.[107][108] Apart from the originalTelugu language, it was released in theHindi,Tamil,Kannada,Bengali andMalayalam languages.[109] A3D version of the film was initially scheduled to be released on the same day, however, the shows were postponed to 13 December 2024.[110]
Initially, the film was announced by the makers to release on 15 August 2024, coinciding with India'sIndependence Day.[111][112] However, due to unfinished shooting and post-production work, it was postponed to 6 December 2024,[113][114] before being changed to 5 December.[115][116] It was slated to be the first Pan-Indian film to release in the Bengali language.[117][118] However, the Bengali dubbed version was not theatrically released.[119]
The film is reported to release in more than 12,000 screens worldwide.[120][121] In India, the film was released in over 6,500 screens out of which 4,500 screens were allocated for the Hindi version (biggest release for a dubbed film).[122] In the overseas market it was released in more than 5,000 screens.[123] A reloaded version of the film containing additional 20 minutes of footage was set to release on 11 January 2024.[124][125] However it was postponed to 17 January 2025 due to technical issues.[126]
The ticket price hikes were estimated to be around ₹354 in single screen theatres and ₹531 in multiplexes across Telangana,[135] and ₹324.5 in single screen theatres and ₹413 in multiplexes across Andhra Pradesh.[136] The price for special premiere shows on 4 December was hiked by ₹800 across Telangana.[137]
Pre-release business
The film set a record of doing the highest pre-release business in India, with combined theatrical and non-theatrical earnings of ₹1085 crores.[138]
Prior to its release, the film made a business of nearly₹640 crore (US$75 million) from its theatrical rights.[139] The Andhra Pradesh and Telangana distribution rights were sold for₹220 crore (US$26 million).[140] The Hindi dubbed distribution rights were sold for₹200 crore (US$23 million).[141] The film made a combined deal of₹100 crore (US$12 million) from distribution in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka andKerala theatres.[142] The overseas distribution rights were sold for₹140 crore (US$16 million).[143] It further made₹425 crore (US$50 million) from non-theatrical rights, including digital, satellite and music rights.[144]
The film started its advance booking on 30 November 2024.[145] The film minted record advance booking sales grossing ₹100 crores worldwide[146] and selling around 2 million tickets in its pre-bookings alone.[146] The film also set the record for being the fastest movie to sell 1 million tickets on BookMyShow surpassingBaahubali 2: the Conclusion,K.G.F: Chapter 2, andKalki 2898 AD.[147][148]
Home media
The satellite rights of the film were acquired byJioStar Network.[149] The digital streaming rights of the film were acquired byNetflix for ₹275 crore.[150][151] The film'sreloaded version, which included over 20 minutes of additional footage, began streaming on Netflix from 30 January 2025 in Telugu and dubbed versions of Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada languages.[152][153] Later, English and Bengali dubbed version was also released on the platform.[154]
Reception
Critical response
Nishad Thaivalappil ofNews18 gave 5/5 stars and wrote "Pushpa 2: The Rule is a raw, wild, and action-packed extravaganza. With its gripping narrative, larger-than-life performances, and massy appeal, it’s the entertainer of the year. Don’t miss the chance to witness Allu Arjun’s brilliance on the big screen!"[155]Taran Adarsh ofBollywood Hungama gave 4.5/5 stars and wrote "A wildfire entertainer with mass appeal, blending intense action, gripping drama, emotional depth and Allu Arjun's unmatched swag which elevates the film, making it a must-watch for fans and audiences alike".[156] Simran Singh ofDNA India gave 4.5/5 stars and wrote "Pushpa The Rule: Part Two will RULE the box office. The sky is the limit for this film. Allu Arjun and the team have set new standards in massy entertainers, and very high expectations for the third part. Yes, the saga ofPushpa will continue. Don't missPushpa The Rule: Part Two at any chance."[157]
Ganesh Aaglave ofFirstpost gave 4/5 stars and wrote "On the whole,Pushpa 2 is bigger, grander and better as Allu Arjun is set to rule the box office with its swag."[158] Neeshita Nyayapati ofHindustan Times wrote "At the end of it all,Pushpa 2: The Rule is entertaining, makes you chuckle and also feel something for its titular character, even if not flawless and has a shallow message about women's safety. And when you don't notice a runtime as long as this one, that’s a win".[159] Paul Nicodemus ofThe Times of India gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Pushpa 2: The Rule is a sequel that surpasses its predecessor in scale, storytelling, and emotional depth. Sukumar’s vision, combined with Allu Arjun’s powerhouse performance, layered narrative, breathtaking visuals, and stellar ensemble cast, makes it a cinematic triumph that demands to be experienced on the big screen."[160]
Rishil Jogani ofPinkvilla gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Pushpa 2: The Rule is a quintessential mass entertainer that will surely satisfy fans of the franchise. It delivers on the action, drama, and charisma that made the first part so much loved. Yes, the film struggles with pacing, convenience in its screenplay, and the lack of strong antagonists to keep the narrative thrilling."[161] Anandu Suresh ofThe Indian Express gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "The simplest and shortest review ofPushpa 2 would be: “Sarvam Pushpa Mayam. (transl. Everything is about "Pushpa")”"[162] Janani K ofIndia Today rated the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Compared to the first part, Pushpa 2 feels somewhat disjointed. The sequel focuses more on creating moments rather than building a coherent story".[163] Pranati A S ofDeccan Herald rated 2.5/5 and wrote, "Fahadh steals the show with his restlessness and humour. Devi Sri Prasad’s music is nothing exceptional. Mirosław Kuba Brożek’s cinematography is brilliant, these are some takeaways from the otherwise excessively overblaring film."[164]
Sajin Shrijith ofThe Week gave the film 2 out of 5 stars and wrote "A massive insult to intelligence and peelings".[165] Saibal Chatterjee ofNDTV rated the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and stated "Pushpa Part 2 goes hell for leather but large parts of the film are crushed under the weight of its own vaulting ambition".[166] Arjun Menon ofRediff rated the film 2 out of 5 stars and wrote "Pushpa 2 is a badly misjudged, doubtful sequel that can't capitalise on the wealth of the story world set up in the first film".[167] Sanyukta Thakare ofMashable India gave the film 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Pushpa 2: The Rule does not add anything new to the barrage of similar south characters, nor the action showcased by the entertainment industry".[168]
Sangeetha Devi Dundoo ofThe Hindu wrote "A stunning ‘jatara’ sequence anchored by a superb Allu Arjun and a few face-offs, director Sukumar's ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ seems incoherent and incomplete."[169] Lekha Menon ofKhaleej Times wrote "The music is loud, the editing at several places is disjointed and the action choreography basically includes characters flying in air and Pushpa beating the bad guys to pulp. All of this takes place over a mammoth 205 minutes and while it’s entertaining and pacy, the overall experience makes for a tedious watch.[170] Swathi P Ajith ofOnmanorama wrote, "More than just the story, 'Pushpa 2' promises to be an unforgettable experience, especially for Allu Arjun's fans. It’s clear that he has poured his heart and soul into this role, making every moment on screen tantalising."[171]
Box office
On its opening day, the film grossed₹280 crore worldwide becoming the highest day-one grossingIndian film till date and the highest day-one grossing film ever in India, with₹200 crore from the domestic market.[172][173] The Hindi version has collected a nett amount of₹72 crore on the opening day, in India.[174]Pushpa 2: The Rule became the fastestIndian film to reach ₹400 crore in two days and ₹500 crore in three days.[173][175]
In theUnited States, the film debuted at the number five position earningUS$1,700,000 on its opening day and is projected to earnUS$6,000,000 in its opening weekend.[176] As perDeadline Hollywood, the four-day gross is estimated to be ₹590 crore ($70 million) in India and ₹172 crore ($20 million) from the overseas markets, making its global debut grossing ₹762 crore ($90 million).[177] In its first weekend, it earned $4.9 million from U.S. and Canadian theaters placing at 5th position as perThe Seattle Times.[178]
On its eighth day of release, the film entered in₹1000 crore club.[c] The film has grossed₹1,004 crore worldwide in the first eight days, with₹813 crore and₹191 crore from domestic and international markets.[182] The nine-day domestic gross collection was₹855.25 crore.[183] The ten-day domestic gross collection was₹927 crore.[184][185] The eleven-day domestic gross collection is₹1,008.50 crore, thus, becoming the secondfilm in India to cross ₹1000 crore afterBaahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017).[186] The film collected a worldwide gross of₹1,226 crore in its eleven-day run, with₹1,009 and₹217 crore (US$25 million) from domestic and international markets.[187]Business Standard reported that the film collected a worldwide gross of₹1,414 crore in its twelve-day run according toComscore.[citation needed] As perBox Office India , film collected a worldwide gross of₹1,274 crore in its thirteen-day run, with₹1,054 crore and₹220 crore from domestic and international markets.[citation needed] The domestic gross collection was₹1,110 crore, in the first two weeks (14 days), with₹288.25 crore from its home market (Andhra Pradesh andTelangana).[188]
Daily News and Analysis reported that the film has earned ₹1,290.92 crore domestically in 19 days, with a total worldwide gross of ₹1,570.92 crore, including ₹280 crore from international markets.[189]The Indian Express reported that on its 20th day, the film's net earnings in India alone grossed₹1,100 crore, with₹700 crore crore coming from the Hindi version, making it the first film to reach the mark.[190] As perBox Office India its twenty-day worldwide gross collection stands at ₹1,456 crore.[191] The film's twenty-two days worldwide gross was₹1,505 crore. The film collected a domestic gross of रु 27.03 crore inNepal, thus becoming thehighest-grossing foreign film and the second-highest-grossing film in the country.[192]The Indian Express reported the twenty-five days gross collection is around ₹1,719.5 crore.[193]
As of 2 January 2024, the Hindi version had earned ₹769.75 crore. It reached ₹797.70 crore by its fourth week (28 days).[194][195] As of January 13, 2025, the film has earned ₹1408.81 crore ($162.9 million) in India.[196] The film concluded its theatrical run with worldwide gross estimated to be between ₹1,642–1,800 crore.[a] The film recorded the highest footfall post-COVID pandemic, with 6.30–6.50 crore.[197]
Controversies
On 24 November 2024, at the pre-release event in Chennai, composerDevi Sri Prasad blamed the producers for repeated complaints against him that he failed to deliver thebackground score and songs on time. He said that the producers have more complaints than love for him.[198] Later at the event, producer Ravi Shankar denied the rift and mentioned that there are no issues, and that they are like a family.[199] There were also reports thatThaman S,B. Ajaneesh Loknath andSam C. S. were hired to compose the background score due to delays in delivering the score on time by Prasad.[200][201] This controversy also came into light when Mythri Movie Makers, who are also the producers of the upcomingGood Bad Ugly (2025), replaced Prasad withG. V. Prakash Kumar.[202] However, during the Hyderabad event Prasad ended the ongoing controversy with producers and thanked them wholeheartedly and highlighted the special bond between them.[203] Later, Sam C. S. confirmed his involvement in the film's background score.[204]
On 30 November 2024, anFIR was filed against Allu Arjun by Srinivas Goud for his comments during the Mumbai press event, where he (Allu Arjun) referred to his fans as an "army". Goud found this comparison disrespectful, arguing that using the term "army" in this context belittles the sacrifices made by the armed forces.[205][206]
In December 2024, a petition demanding a ban on the film was filed in theTelangana High Court, as the film shows corruption, violence and illegal smuggling, however the plea was dismissed.[207]
On 4 December 2024, a woman died while her young son was critically injured in a stampede during the film's premiere at Sandhya movie theater nearRTC X Roads, Hyderabad.[208] A case was later filed under various sections of theBharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on the film's unit, Allu Arjun, his security team, and the owner of the theatre.[209][210] Allu Arjun was arrested by theHyderabad City Police on 13 December 2024 over the said charges.[211] However, a few hours later he was grantedinterim bail by theTelangana High Court.[212]
^According to the makers, the film entered the 1000 crore club in six days, grossing over 1002 crore,[179] whileBox Office India[180] andPinkvilla[181] reported that it crossed the 1000 crore mark in eight days.
