Pushpa, the amazing pan-India sensation

When the whole nation is reeling under the tsunami of Covid waves, a fresh breath of fragrance swept in the form of 'Pushpa', the movie released in multiple languages. While the movie moguls were making calculations to release the big-ticket productions for Sankranti, 'Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1' directed by Sukumar, took a calculated risk by releasing it a few weeks ahead of the big festival in the Telugu States.

The bold decision of the Pushpa team paid off despite the online ticket sales and regulated ticket prices by the AP government in the interest of movie-goers. The action-thriller, carried on the jacked-up shoulders of Allu Arjun, grossed Rs 300 crore worldwide, and the cash registers are still ringing. The Hindi version of Pushpa had earned Rs 20 crore in the first five days, and the fifth day's earnings had been higher than the first two days. When the industry experts were expecting to make good with the release of 'Spider Man: No Way Home', 'Pushpa' set the silver screen on fire!

With the inferno going beyond the comprehension of the industry experts and movie enthusiasts, Shahid Kapoor's 'Jersey' and SS Rajamouli's 'RRR' had to put off their plans for release. Just when the other production houses were rethinking of how to make the most of the Sankranti festivities in view of the Covid restrictions in theatres, Pushpa was released on the OTT platform of Amazon Prime, helping the families enjoy the film in a safe environment.

Watching with the families who had returned home for the festive celebrations created a festive atmosphere in the drawing rooms and home theatres that will be remembered until the next Sankranti.

This has brought Allu Arjun, who is known as the Icon Star, recognition all across north India. To cash in on the popularity of Allu Arjun, the makers of his last successful family drama, 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo' directed by Trivikram, is being released on a digital channel in Hindi. With Pooja Hegde alongside Arjun and Tabu in a supportive and elegant role it would definitely take Bollywood by storm.

The success formula of Pushpa can be surmised as the cast, led by Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and hand-picked faces, made it qualify as a pan-India movie; the soundtrack and music by Dev Sri Prasad are addictive; and Chandrabose, with his lyrics, added to the rustic language of the movie's theme. This has caught the imagination of the nation, with social media influencers and common people coming up with their own versions. As the makers of Pushpa are laughing their way to the bank, digital media creators are churning out creative spoofs on 'Pushpa'.

Even Amul, the maker of dairy products and known for making its ads on trending topics, has come up with its own creative lampooning of the lead stars, Allu Arjun and Rashmika. The very last person to join the bandwagon is cricketer David Warner, known for his TikTok videos in Tollywood. Earlier, his video featuring his wife and daughter on 'Butta Bomma' number from 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo', another Allu Arjun's runaway hit, created a sensation during the IPL season. One thing which could put to rest these memes and spoofs is the release of its sequel,when everybody is expected to talk about it.