Allu Arjun confirms 'Pushpa 3' plans, aims to make franchise
While fans are counting the days until the release of Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2: The Rule, the Telugu superstar has come bearing surprises for fans! Arjun—currently at the Berlin European Film Market for the screening of a Pushpa sizzle reel and Pushpa: The Rise—Part 1—told Variety a threequel is on the cards. Pushpa 2 is heading toward a theatrical release on August 15, 2024, and will lock horns with Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty's Singham Again, releasing the same day.
Here's what Arjun teased about part 3
Arjun told Variety, "You can definitely expect part three, we do want to make it a franchise and we have exciting ideas for the lineup." Also teasing Pushpa 2, he said, "[It] is going to have a very different shade of Pushpa than what you've seen in Pushpa 1, because it is the lower end of the spectrum that you've seen." Directed by Sukumar, Pushpa: The Rise—Part 1 was released in 2021 and opened to astounding commercial acclaim across India.
Arjun on the scale of 'Pushpa 2'
Further elaborating upon how Pushpa 2 will be notches higher than its predecessor, Arjun said, "Till then, it (the narrative) was playing on a regional scale, now it will play on a national and international scale." "[In] Pushpa 1, police officer Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat, played by Fahadh Faasil, emerges as a thorn in Pushpa's side." "The conflict between them is going to escalate to a much bigger, bigger scale," he added.
Arjun on how Amazon Prime Video helped 'Pushpa 1'
Arjun also spoke about how Amazon Prime Video has been instrumental in helping the film spread its wings. "More than the theatrical reach of Pushpa, the OTT [streaming] reach has been multifold." "A lot of people maybe during the theatrical release have only watched it once or twice. But after it's available on OTT platforms like Amazon, people have watched it multiple times." "There's a lot of crossover audience from other languages, and other regions and neighboring countries," he added.
Know more about the upcoming action thriller
Pushpa 2: The Rule is produced by Mythri Movie Makers and Sukumar Writings. The music department is handled by Devi Sri Prasad, who was also part of Pushpa: The Rise. The first film also earned Arjun a National Film Award for Best Actor. Sukumar earlier revealed, "[The upcoming film] will not focus on Don Pushpa...it will be a different experience altogether." Rashmika Mandanna will co-star in the upcoming film.
