After a stupendous 2022 and 2023, which saw the box office bounce back to pre-pandemic heights after two years of disappointment, India recently witnessed the release and success of a massive new hit. The Telugu-language action sequel Pushpa 2: The Rule has been breaking records ever since its debut earlier this month, and has now passed a massive global box office milestone a little over 20 days after its release. Directed by Sukumar, the film stars Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna in the lead roles, and serves as a sequel to 2021’s Pushpa: The Rise.
According to the film’s production banner Mythri Movie Makers, Pushpa 2 has grossed ₹1,705 crore worldwide so far, which converts to around $200 million. This is about as much as Mufasa: The Lion King has made so far. It’s the biggest hit of the year, having overtaken the science-fiction epic Kalki 2898 AD. Pushpa 2 has also overtaken the $160 million lifetime global haul of director S.S. Rajamouli’s crossover hit RRR, which rode a wave of success in 2022 all the way to an Oscar in the Best Original Song category. Pushpa 2 will soon overtake another Rajamouli blockbuster, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, to become the second-biggest Indian hit of all time. The highest-grossing Indian film ever remains the sports drama Dangal, which made around $230 million worldwide in 2016.
Pushpa 2 owes a creative debt to the “Angry Young Man” style of filmmaking, which gained prominence in India in the 1970s. These films were defined by their brash male protagonists, who usually stood up to authority and supported a social cause. Pushpa 2 deals with themes of class-conflict and ambition, and follows the rise of the titular character from a lowly goon to a gang lord. The movie has received mostly positive reviews, and has broken numerous records in India, despite its daunting three-hour-plus run-time.
Not Every Indian Movie is a "Bollywood" Movie
Image via Muttamsetty Media
The film can be described as a “pan-Indian” hit — a term used for projects that prove to be popular across the culturally diverse nation. India has several different film industries that operate independently of each other, and are separated by language and region. Pushpa 2, for instance, isn’t a “Bollywood” film — that term is used only for Hindi-language projects. Like Kalki 2898 AD and RRR before it, it’s a Telugu-language movie, although dubbed versions were released across the world. The only thing to wait and watch out for now is whether it’s able to break Dangal’s all-time record in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
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Pushpa 2: The Rule
Director Sukumar
Cast Allu Arjun , Rashmika Mandanna , Fahadh Faasil , Jagadeesh Bandari , Rao Ramesh , Sunil Varma , Dhananjay , Anasuya Bharadwaj , Jagapati Babu , Ajay , Brahmaji , Divi Vadthya , Satya , Tarak Ponnappa , Sree Leela
Runtime 198 minutes
English (US) ·