Pushpa: The Rise (2021)

Masala Meter 5/5 · Quality 7/10 · Telugu · Action, Crime

Flower nahi, fire hai. You already know the shrug.

Allu Arjun is Pushpa Raj, a labourer who climbs the red sanders smuggling ladder in the Seshachalam forests. The stubble, the slouch and the shoulder-shrug became a national meme, and the songs were everywhere.

It's long and the romance track is weak, but Fahadh Faasil's late entry as a menacing cop sets up the sequel beautifully.

Where to watch in India: Prime Video, MX Player.