Pushpa: The Rise

"Pushpa 2: The Rule is dazzling, thrilling and ultimately overwhelming. The film has sweat, ambition, audacity, but three hours and 20 minutes is definitely an overdose. Pushpa 2: The Rule falters because from the first frame to the last, it stays in maximum mode—there is no place here for stillness or pause, and the grip inevitably slackens."

"Pushpa is pure MASStertainment and a golden lesson for all those directors selling crass in the disguise of producing films for mass. All hail the MASSter, Allu Arjun!"

"Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1 is a paisa vasool entertainer."

"Allu Arjun walks away with the film with his strong performance. He embraces his deglamorized look and delivers a memorable performance."

"Sukumar's Pushpa: The Rise shows promise when it wraps things up and sets up things for Pushpa 2."

"Director Sukumar's Pushpa: The Rise starring Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil follows a familiar template of a gangster thriller. Allu Arjun delivers his best in this otherwise cliched film."

"Even though the plot is predictable, Allu Arjun's swag makes this film such an edge-of-the seat action-drama. Pushpa's character and backstory may not emotionally drive you, but Allu Arjun makes Pushpa: The Rise interesting enough for you to sit through the three hours."

"Allu Arjun's swag carries through this familiar tale"

"Allu Arjun is perfect in a film that is too long for its own good"

"Pushpa - The Rise is riveting in some segments and bland in others. Allu Arjun shoulders the film, but his coming together with Sukumar should have been for a more absorbing narrative. The biggest disappointment is Fahadh Faasil."