After the success of 2022’s RRR, Tollywood has been gaining increasing prominence in the global marketplace. The movie managed to win an Oscar for Best Original Song, which became the first Oscar in Indian film history. Won for the song ‘Naatu Naatu’, it launched Tollywood into success. Today, Telugu-language Tollywood movies continue to excel, while Bollywood has been losing its prominence. Telugu movies are gaining increased budgets and more recognition overseas.
The root of the change comes partly from Tollywood’s wider audience potential. Though there are fewer Telugu-speakers, many of these movies feature both dubs and popular actors from across India. Rather than focusing solely on Hindu-speakers, that wider audience allows for more international attention. This has partly driven the increasing budgets, as its box office performances have similarly ballooned. Bollywood is still releasing more movies than Tollywood, but it is losing ground.
Bhakta Prahlada (1932) was the first Tollywood movie with spoken dialogue.
For Fans Of…
- Extreme action and high stakes.
- Movies focused on crime and a single criminal’s need to cultivate power.
- Long and action-packed movies with high budgets.
- Allu Arjun (Arya, Vedam, Pushpa: The Rise).
Why You Should Watch Pushpa 2 On Netflix
The Movie Has Broken Numerous Records
Released in 2024, Pushpa 2: The Rule has dominated across the world. A follow-up to 2021’s Pushpa: The Rise, the movie follows Allu Arjun’s Molleti Pushpa Raj as he continues to illegally smuggle sandalwood for profit. Unfortunately for him, he faces new challenges from the Indian Police Service, which slowly begins to undercover his scheme. Since coming to Netflix, Pushpa 2 has the sixth highest viewership on Netflix’s global charts, per Flix Patrol. It has only been available since January 30, so the total could rise in the coming days.
Like Kalki 2898 AD before it, Netflix streaming has been an immense boon for the industry. The streaming success is a much-needed victory for the movie, which is the fifth most-expensive movie in Indian history. Or at least, it would have been, if not for its box office success. It is already the second highest-grossing movie in India, and the third highest-grossing Indian movie worldwide. Having the opportunity to dominate on Netflix will expand its reach even further, so it could break even more records.
During its run, the movie earned rave reviews, as critics argued that it has exceptional action sequences, encouraging spectacle, and a well-paced story. Some did complain that the movie was too long and lacks a compelling narrative throughline. The style was incredible, but they argued that it did not have the necessary substance. Still, with so much fanfare around the movie, it is certainly worth watching.
What Screen Rant has said about Pushpa 2: The Rule:
The box office success of Pushpa 2: The Rule proves the franchise’s viability in the global market. This has been the case even in North America, where it debuted at No. 4, easily beating out that weekend’s English-language new release Y2K. However, this is likely just the beginning of what could become a major box office IP. New 2024 Action Thriller Is Now One Of The Highest Grossing Indian Movies Of All Time
|
Pushpa 2: The Rule Key Facts |
|
|---|---|
|
Box Office |
₹1,800 crore (around $210 million) |
|
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score |
N/A |
|
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
77% |
5 Other Great Groundbreaking Indian Movies On Netflix Right Now
- RRR (2022)
- Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015)
- Kalki (2024)
- Minnal Murali (2021)
- Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire (2023)
Source: FlixPatrol
