Pushpa: The Rise – Part 1 (2021)

Pushpa Raj is a coolie who rises in the world of red sandalwood smuggling. Along the way, he doesn’t shy from making an enemy or two.

In the 1990s,[13] Pushpa Raj is a coolie who works to smuggle red sandalwood, a rare wood that only grows in the Seshachalam Hills of the Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. When DSP Govindappa raids them in the forest, Pushpa hides and recovers the stock, thereby gaining the trust of his employer Konda Reddy. With the help of novel ideas to smuggle the red sandalwood, he quickly rises through the ranks and becomes Konda Reddy’s partner. Mangalam Srinu, a merciless dealer who manages the red sandalwood syndicate entrusts Konda Reddy to keep 200 tons of his stock safe. As Konda’s younger brother, Jolly Reddy is deemed incompetent, Pushpa is given the job. Govindappa attempts to raid them but Pushpa throws all the logs into the river, saving it from being seized. At a party, Pushpa overhears that Srinu is selling the wood at a much higher rate than what they’re paid. He asks Konda to demand a fair share but backs down as going against Srinu seems risky.

Pushpa meets Srivalli and instantly falls in love for her. On their engagement day, his step-brother Mohan denies Pushpa’s lineage because he was born out of wedlock while his mother is injured during the fight. This angers Pushpa, which motivates him to rise higher in life. The next day, he smuggles the wood to Chennai and meets Srinu from whom he demands ₹1 crore (US$242,000) per ton as their share. Srinu refuses and his men attack him but Pushpa overpowers them. He then goes to Chennai himself and cuts a deal to sell the wood at ₹1.5 crore ($363,000) per ton, which Konda and agree to share equally. Jolly blackmails Srivalli to spend a night with him while holding her father captive. Enraged, Pushpa badly beats up Jolly, breaking his bones. Konda, finding out that is responsible for his brother’s condition, tries to kill him but Srinu’s men attack them. Amid the confusion, manages to counterattack them.

• Hindi Dubbed Movie