‘Pushpa: The Rise,’ directed by Sukumar and featuring Allu Arjun as the protagonist, is a Telugu language film that narrates the story of a laborer who rises in power and becomes a part of the red sander syndicate. Pushpa is the name of the protagonist, who fears nothing and strives for ultimate power and control. Throughout the film, he reminds his enemies that he is not Pushpa the flower but rather the fire. With several iconic dialogues and the usual slow-motion action sequences, it is the ultimate “masala” film that you can imagine. However, with a runtime of 178 minutes, it seems a little stretched in some places.
Plot Summary: How Did Pushpa Rise To Power?
Even though, in his initial years, Pushpa worked as a laborer at a mill, he did not believe in owing respect to the mill owner for providing him with his deserved wage. He worked for money and not out of respect. Therefore, from the very first instance, the film establishes his fearlessness. The people around him knew he would make it big in life, and thus joined Kesava, hoping to make a few extra bucks by being Pushpa’s trusted man.
Pushpa’s mother was a widower, and from childhood, he was denied the surname of his father as he was born out of wedlock. Pushpa was known as Pushpa Raj from childhood, a man without a surname, thus making him casteless. He was deeply attached to his mother and wanted to keep her happy after all the struggles she had to face. One day, he joined the coolies who were in charge of providing the red sanders that were illegally transported from the Seshachalam Hills in Andhra Pradesh.
While the shrewd DSP, Govindappa, tried to bust the illegal activity, Pushpa used his intelligence to save the day. It was only after saving a huge amount of red sander, did Pushpa win the trust of the Reddy brothers. He further proposed a brilliant plan to transport the red sander that would not be confiscated by the police. The red sander was placed at the bottom of the truck and sealed; the top portion of the truck was filled with milk, which would lead the police to believe that only milk was being transported. With the success of his plan, Pushpa gradually became a shareholder of the Reddy brothers’ business. His newfound success brought him wealth and popularity.
The Love Story: Pushpa And Srivalli
Pushpa had his eyes on Srivalli from the moment he saw her. While Srivalli did not notice him, Kesava decided to find a way to establish the romance. When Srivalli and her girlfriends were short of money for a Chiranjeevi film, Kesava provided them with the money to buy tickets, but only on one condition: Srivalli had to look Pushpa in his eyes and smile. Srivalli agreed to the proposal. While eye contact was made, Srivalli revealed to Pushpa that it was only to buy film tickets. Kesava further tried to help his man; he had a word with Srivalli’s father, who worked for the Reddy brothers, for marriage. He did not share the complete truth of Pushpa’s identity, and it was on the day when the families met that his truth was revealed. His step-brother broke the marriage by stating that he was an illegitimate son and denying him of his family lineage.
The two finally reunite when Jaali Reddy, the youngest of the Reddy brothers, who was infamous for forcing women to sleep with him, decides to do the same with Srivalli. He blackmailed Srivalli into spending the night with him to help free her father. After being intimidated by the police, her father had revealed the details of Reddy’s warehouse where the illegal supply was kept. Jaali had caught hold of her father for treason and would only let him go after sleeping with his daughter. When Srivalli visited Pushpa’s house that night, she confessed how she had always considered him her husband and wanted to be intimate with him before any other man. After learning this, he went along with Srivalli to visit Jaali and ended up breaking his bones, leaving him incapable of walking for six months. Though Pushpa was able to win Srivalli, he had created a new enmity with Jaali Reddy.
How Did Pushpa Become The Head Of The Syndicate?
During a party, Pushpa learned that Mangalam Srinu, the dealer and manager of the red sanders syndicate, was paying them a lot less than the cut he received for each ton. He later had a word with Srinu, asking him for a fair share for the Reddy brothers, but Srinu disagreed.
Pushpa decided to sell the supply directly in Chennai. He made an agreement to receive 1.5 crores for each ton sold. He also made a deal with the Reddy brothers to receive fifty percent of the shares. This news angered Srinu, and he attacked the Reddy brothers, though Konda Reddy was shot. Pushpa managed to save Jakka Reddy. He eventually shot Srinu’s brother-in-law for assaulting the Reddys. This incident created distrust among the syndicate members.
The MP, Bhumireddy Siddappa Naidu, tried to mend the relation by bringing together all the syndicate members at Konda Reddy’s funeral. Pushpa explained how Srinu was charging a lot more than he should have, which resulted in the conflict. He assured the MP that if he was made the manager of the syndicate, he would make sure that the rate remained constant and that the MP would also receive a lot more share than he was used to. This resulted in Pushpa being declared and sworn as the manager of the Red Sanders syndicate.
Ending Explained: Who Was Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat? What To Expect In Part 2?
While Pushpa was at his best in both his personal and professional life, Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat entered his life. The new SP was a tough nut to crack; he was fierce. When Pushpa invited him to his wedding ceremony, the SP handcuffed him. He insulted him for being a man born out of wedlock. He tried to establish his dominance over Pushpa.
When Pushpa addressed him as “Sir,” the SP finally decided to let go of him. He demanded respect, along with the regular flow of money from the syndicate. After this incident, he paid tremendous respect to the SP. He obeyed every demand made by the police officer, something that was unusual for him.
On the day of his wedding, he joined the SP for a drink to celebrate the day. He expressed his gratitude to the police officer for sparing his valuable time. Shekhawat enjoyed the respect Pushpa offered, though their conversation took a crucial turn. At one point, Pushpa grabs hold of the officer’s gun and shoots himself in the hand. He kept the police officer at gunpoint and forced him to undress while he did the same as well. He expressed how hurtful the SP’s comments were on the day they first met; he could never accept anyone insulting his personal history. At the end of the day, without his uniform, the SP would be unrecognizable by the people around him. His uniform earned him respect.
Whereas, Pushpa, even without any clothes on, would be respected by every man who crossed his path. After establishing his worth, Pushpa leaves for his wedding. Shekhawat returned home with barely any clothes on him. His dog failed to recognize him without his uniform. This enraged Shekhawat, and he shot his dog. He finally burnt the bribe money provided by the syndicate.
The release of Pushpa Part 2 is confirmed by the end of the film itself. We can expect the new SP to seek the ultimate revenge on Pushpa for embarrassing him. After all, the only person who was able to intimate Pushpa was Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat. Along with the new SP, we can also expect a threat from Jaali Reddy, who promised to fight Pushpa. Meanwhile, Srinu and his wife are also waiting for the right time to strike Pushpa for murdering his men and taking away his business. Needless to say, the second part will be action-packed with Allu Arjun as the ultimate hero, fighting his enemies with a single stroke. Along with, hopefully, a lot more screen time for Fahadh Faasil as the SP.
‘Pushpa: The Rise’ – Part 1, is a 2021 Indian Crime Drama Film directed by Sukumar. It stars Allu Arjun and Fahadh Faasil in the lead role.
