It was inevitable that Pushpa: The Rise (2021), which was a humongous box office success, would get a sequel. But the movie’s subtitle “The Rise” also showed producers’ confidence in director Sukumar but most of all in Allu Arjun, the star of this franchise who has created a truly unique character in Pushpa Raj. And here we are with the sequel, Pushpa 2: The Rule. The movie concludes in a fashion that is definitive but also leaves room for a third movie. Let’s dive into Pushpa 2: The Rule ending in detail as well as learn about the movie’s release date, cast, trailer, reviews, budget and more.
Allu Arjun returns to don the titular role of Pushpa, a lowly labourer who rises to become the leader of a syndicate (called, rather unimaginatively, the Syndicate) working in red sandalwood smuggling. In the first movie, we saw, as promised, the rise of Pushpa. In this movie, as the title indicates, he rises to rule Chittoor — but not without his enemies throwing hurdles in his way to the top.
The first movie ended by teasing a fierce confrontation between Pushpa and the slightly insane cop Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat (Fahadh Faasil) after the former had humiliated the latter by making him strip to his undergarments towards the end of the movie.
Anyhow, let’s explore the ending of Pushpa 2: The Rule and what it means for a third instalment.
Pushpa 2: The Rule ending explained — Does Pushpa defeat his enemies?
So, what happens in Pushpa 2: The Rule? The movie finds Pushpa living a lavish life with his wife and minions in a big house in Chittoor. He is the leader of the Syndicate and has ambitions, as he put it, to be not just national but international. However, not all is well in his life. Despite all that he has, he still suffers from a sense of low self-esteem. He does not have the Molleti family name. His half-brother Mohan (Ajay) still hates him for just being an illegitimate child and the product of lust (according to his perspective).
The plot of Pushpa 2: The Rule kicks off when his wife Srivalli (Rashmika Mandanna) learns that he is going to meet the Chief Minister of the state. She requests him to get a photo clicked with the CM as she wishes to get it framed and display it prominently in the living room. Pushpa travels to the CM’s place with MP Siddappa (Rao Ramesh). While the CM appears pleased to see Pushpa, and acknowledges his fame and reputation, he refuses to click a photo with him.
Although not offended by his refusal, the CM’s argument that no husband should listen to his wife’s wishes does offend Pushpa. He takes it upon himself to unseat him and install Siddappa instead. Siddappa is not pleased and is actually horrified, uttering something to the effect that it is impossible.
An old nemesis returns: Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat
Meanwhile, Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat is back. He hides among the smugglers (by which I mean actual, rank-and-file smugglers on the ground) and reveals himself only when they are handing over sandalwood logs that they have chopped off to their superiors (to get their daily wages, I suppose). Shekhawat arrests them and takes them to the police station. But Pushpa arrives and frees them, while also paying every cop at the place enough money to help them retire.
Shekhawat, when he finds out, is obviously enraged. This only adds to his already simmering rage against Pushpa. Unlike the rest of the police department, he will not bow down before the myth of Pushpa. And this is a problem, not just for Pushpa, but also for Siddappa and everyone in the Syndicate. So, Siddappa takes it upon himself to urge Shekhawat to cease his efforts to undermine Pushpa and sandalwood smuggling.
He meets him and asks him the same. However, Shekhawat proves too stubborn and his ego is too big to listen to reason (if that is what it is). He tells Siddappa that he was humiliated and made to undress. He demands an apology, to which Siddappa says something to the effect of “Of course!” But we know Pushpa — he too suffers from an elephantine ego.
But Siddappa is committed and organises a gathering where both Pushpa and Shekhawat (as well as the Syndicate and their minions) are invited. While Shekhawat eagerly arrives, he notices that Pushpa is yet to show up. When he does come, he is heavily inebriated. Even so, he sits at the table and reluctantly, if a little angrily, utters the much-anticipated sorry. Shekhawat is delighted to get the apology on tape. He plays it happily, further angering Pushpa. But he leaves peacefully enough.
But on the way back, he abruptly comes back and slams into Shekhawat’s vehicle as he is leaving. Shekhawat falls into the pool, and we see Pushpa urinating in the water. As they confront each other, trying to shoot each other, Pushpa tells him the exact date and time of a significant shipment of sandalwood he will transport outside India. If he, Shekhawat that is, can stop even one log from being sent out into the wider world, he, Pushpa that is, will serve as a daily wage labourer his whole life.
Shekhawat deploys policemen at every entry and exit point, and it seems he has apprehended the shipment. He brings it back but is then told that it is not sandalwood but wood from a similar tree and dirt cheap. Although the news is out that he captured the shipment, it is indeed not sandalwood. When the secret is revealed, it is going to damage his reputation. Undeterred, he chases the shipment until it reaches the Rameshwaram coast. Here, too, he is tricked and the shipment is taken to the waters of Sri Lanka, where Indian police have no jurisdiction. He is taunted by Pushpa when he looks through the binoculars. Later, he chooses to kill himself by setting fire to the entire counterfeit shipment. While he will be dead, the fact that what he captured was not sandalwood will not be made public — at least that is what he hopes. Oh, and Siddappa becomes the CM and Srivalli gets that photo of Pushpa and CM together.
What happens in the ending of Pushpa 2: The Rule? A new villain rises
Even as the dust settles down on Shekhawat, Pushpa’s niece Kaveri (Pavani Karanam) is kidnapped. He quickly travels to a TV station and warns the kidnappers that he will chop off their bodies if something were to happen to Kaveri. The kidnappers are led by Buggi (Tarak Ponnappa), who is the nephew of Central Minister Kogatam Veera Pratap Reddy (Jagapathi Babu) and son of Subba Reddy (Adithya Menon). Buggi and his friends were beaten mercilessly by Pushpa earlier when they tried to sexually harass Kaveri. When Siddappa learns who is the kidnappers’ leader, he warns Pushpa off and tells him that the Central Minister is not to be trifled with.
Pushpa, of course, does not listen and reaches the hideout of the kidnappers. Just when he is about to unleash hell on them, Buggi tells him that if he harms them, Kaveri will be killed. He complies as they beat him, bind his hands and legs and only then Kaveri is brought to him. But before his eyes, they began to sexually assault her. Pushpa, still bound and beaten, somehow fights off dozens and dozens of armed young men and finally after a huge showdown kills them all until Buggi is left. His minions arrive and tell him on Siddappa’s behest that he should not kill Buggi otherwise he will earn the lifelong enmity of the Central Minister. He does not listen and kills him anyway, impaling him on a trident. When Buggi’s father intervenes, he slaughters him too.
In the end, his brother Mohan, guilt-stricken, apologises and reconciles with Pushpa and the latter attends Kaveri’s wedding.
We can expect Pushpa to face the Central Minister’s forces in the potential Pushpa 3.
Who is in the cast of Pushpa 2: The Rule?
Apart from Allu Arjun, Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna, Pushpa 2: The Rule also features Jagapathi Babu, Dhananjaya, Rao Ramesh, Sunil and Anasuya Bharadwaj and more in the cast.
What was the release date of Pushpa 2: The Rule?
The release date of Pushpa 2: The Rule was 5 December.
Is there a trailer for Pushpa 2: The Rule?
Here is a trailer for Pushpa 2: The Rule:
Are reviews of Pushpa 2: The Rule positive?
For the most part, yes, the reviews of Pushpa 2: The Rule are positive thanks to its cast, action scenes and cinematography. But critics and audiences do not like it as much as the first movie and also decry its never-ending length (3 hours 20 minutes!).
What was the budget of Pushpa 2: The Rule?
The budget of Pushpa 2: The Rule is estimated to be INR 400 to INR 500 crore.
(Hero and featured image: Courtesy of IMDb)
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
