Released · Telugu film · 2021
Pushpa: The Rise
పుష్ప
Pushpa: The Rise release date: 17 December 2021 (theatres). Directed by Sukumar; starring Allu Arjun, Fahadh Faasil and Rashmika Mandanna.
- Film release
- 17 December 2021 · All 2021 films
- Director
- Sukumar
- Music
- Devi Sri Prasad
- Production
- Mythri Movie Makers
- Runtime
- 179 min
- Language
- Telugu
OTT release
No streaming platform is on file for this film.
Film release: 17 December 2021 · all 2021 Telugu films.
Source: the film’s Wikipedia article, checked 25 September 2026. It does not name a streaming platform or date; this page says so rather than guessing.
ఈ సినిమా వివరాలు తెలుగులో చదవండి →
Pushpa: The Rise is a 2021 Telugu-language action drama directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers with Muttamsetty Media. The first part of the Pushpa series, it stars Allu Arjun as a daily-wage labourer who climbs to the top of a red sandalwood smuggling syndicate in the forests of Andhra Pradesh. It was the highest-grossing Indian film of 2021 and won Allu Arjun the National Film Award for Best Actor.
Story
Set in the late 1990s, the film follows Pushpa Raj, a fiercely proud labourer who takes work cutting red sandalwood, a rare wood found only in the Seshachalam Hills. He rises quickly by outwitting the police, including the determined DSP Govindappa, and by inventing clever ways to move contraband past checkpoints. As he gains the trust of smugglers above him, he also makes enemies within the syndicate.
Alongside the crime story runs a more personal one. Pushpa falls for Srivalli, a local milk seller, and the film returns repeatedly to the question of his lineage: his estranged half-brother publicly denies him their late father’s surname, a humiliation that drives his ambition to build something of his own. By the final act he controls the trade, and a new and arrogant police chief, Bhanwar Singh Shekawat, arrives to challenge him, setting up the conflict for the sequel.
Cast
Allu Arjun leads an ensemble that includes:
- Rashmika Mandanna
- Fahadh Faasil, in his Telugu debut
- Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari and Sunil
- Anasuya Bharadwaj and Rao Ramesh
- Ajay, Ajay Ghosh, Dhananjaya and Shatru
How the film came together
After the success of Rangasthalam (2018), Sukumar first pitched a script to Mahesh Babu, with whom he had made 1: Nenokkadine (2014). Mythri Movie Makers announced the project in April 2018 under the working title #SSMB26, but in March 2019 Mahesh Babu left it, citing creative differences, and moved on to Sarileru Neekevvaru. Sukumar then turned to Allu Arjun, reuniting with him a decade after Arya 2 (2009).
Production began in December 2019 and stopped in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming resumed in November 2020 and wrapped in November 2021, mostly at Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad and in the Maredumilli forest in Andhra Pradesh. Miroslaw Kuba Brozek was the cinematographer.
Music
Devi Sri Prasad composed the music, and it became one of the film’s most celebrated elements: his work won the National Film Award for Best Music Direction.
Release and box office
The film opened worldwide on 17 December 2021. According to the source, it grossed ₹350–360 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Indian film of 2021 and one of the highest-grossing Telugu films ever made.
Reception
Reviews were mixed. Critics praised the performances, action choreography, cinematography, direction, dialogue and songs, but faulted the length, screenplay, plot and editing, and several compared it to the KGF films. Audiences embraced it regardless, and its awards run was strong:
- 69th National Film Awards: Best Actor for Allu Arjun and Best Music Direction for Devi Sri Prasad
- 67th Filmfare Awards South: seven awards in the Telugu categories, including Best Film, Best Director for Sukumar and Best Actor for Allu Arjun
The 74th Berlin International Film Festival featured the film in a retrospective in 2024.
Sequel
The story continues in Pushpa 2: The Rule, released on 5 December 2024.
Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata.
Teaser from the official YouTube channel of Mythri Movie Makers, published 3 Dec 2021.
Cast of Pushpa: The Rise (2021)
- Allu Arjun as Pushpa Raj
- Fahadh Faasil as Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat
- Rashmika Mandanna as Srivalli
- Dhananjay as Jolly Reddy
- Indukuri Sunil Varma as Mangalam Srinu
- Anasuya
- Harish Uthaman
- Shatru as Govindappa
Additional cast
Further acting credits recorded for this film; voice-only and dubbing credits are excluded.
- Rao Ramesh as Bhumireddy Siddappa Naidu
- Kalpa Latha
- Ajay as Molleti Mohan Raj
- Brahmaji as SI Kupparaj
- Samantha Ruth Prabhu
- Ajay Ghosh as Konda Reddy
Also in the cast (TMDB): Jagadeesh Bandari as Kesava, Anasuya Bharadwaj as Dakshayani, Shanmukh as Jakka Reddy, Kalpalatha as Parvathamma, Raj Tirandasu as Mogileesu, Shri Tej as Molleti Dharma Raj, Pavani Karanam as Molleti Kaveri, Mime Gopi as Chennai Murugan, Dayanand Reddy as Munirathnam, Malavika Wales as Anu, Rajsekhar Aningi as Subba Reddy, Meesam Suresh as Biru Reddy.
Character names as listed on TMDB, checked 10 Oct 2026.
What critics said
The article describes generally mixed reviews: critics praised Allu Arjun's performance, the action, the cinematography and the songs, and criticised the length, the screenplay and the editing.
- Bollywood Hungama called it value for money and described Sukumar's screenplay as “top notch”.
- The Indian Express wrote that Allu Arjun carries the film with a strong, deglamorised performance.
- Deccan Chronicle called it a one-man show, but found the second half predictable and the climax lacking punch.
- The Times of India (Neeshita Nyayapati) praised the lead performance, action and cinematography, calling it Allu Arjun's show all the way.
- India Today (Janani K.) praised Allu Arjun and Sunil but called the screenplay one of Sukumar's weakest and felt Rashmika Mandanna's role served the male gaze.
- Hindustan Times (Haricharan Pudipeddi) found it engaging for most of its three hours and praised how the central character is built.
- The Hindu (Sangeetha Devi Dundoo) called it a “mixed bag”, riveting in parts and bland in others.
- The Quint (Karthik Keramalu) doubted the story had enough in it to sustain a sequel.
- The News Minute (Sowmya Rajendran) said Allu Arjun's likability keeps the film going despite its length.
Box office: the article reports a worldwide gross of ₹74 crore on the first day and over ₹161 crore in the opening weekend.
Summarised by Tollywood Desk from the reception section of the Wikipedia article Pushpa: The Rise (revision 1376615720), which cites the reviews named above. Quotation marks show words quoted in that article; no ratings or scores are added here.
Source record: Q86751411 on Wikidata. Dates are those on record and can change; this is not a studio announcement. Spotted an error? Send a correction.