The film stars Allu Arjun in the titular role, alongside Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, Jagapathi Babu, Sunil, and Rao Ramesh.

It follows Pushpa Raj, a labourer-turned-red sandalwood smuggler, as he faces growing threats from his enemies, including SP Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat.

The film features music composed by Devi Sri Prasad, cinematography by Mirosław Kuba Brożek, and editing by Naveen Nooli.

[13] Pushpa 2: The Rule was released worldwide on 5 December 2024 in standard, IMAX, 4DX, D-Box and PVR ICE formats to positive reviews from critics.

[a] A consignment of red sandalwood arrives at the Yokohama port in Japan, where workers are shocked to find Pushpa hidden inside one of the containers.

Pushpa strikes a deal with Central Minister Kogatam Veera Pratap Reddy and meets international buyer Hameed in Maldives to sell 2,000 tons of sandalwood for ₹5,000 crores.

Shekhawat eventually obtains permission and manages to track the consignment to Rameswaram as he had spied on Jakka Reddy but fails to capture it before it crosses the Indian-Sri Lankan border.

To obtain the money for the consignment, Pushpa prepares to travel to Japan by stowing away in a ship container, whereupon reaching the Yokohama Port, he fights the yakuza, bringing the story back to the beginning of the film.

Eventually, Hiroshi delivers the money to Pushpa and asks him to deal with him directly in the future, thus removing all the brokers and enhancing the partnership between India and Japan.

As Pushpa, Siddappa, and his gang celebrate, tragedy strikes again as Kaveri is kidnapped and assaulted by Bugga Reddy, who wanted revenge for his humiliation at the Jathara festival.

[19] Sukumar further retained most of the technicians from previous part including cinematographer Miroslaw Kuba Brozek, editor Karthika Srinivas and Ruben, art director S. Ramakrishna and Monica Nigotre and sound designer Resul Pookutty and Vijay Kumar.

Dance choreographers of the film includes Prem Rakshith, Ganesh Acharya, Sekhar, Vijay Polaki and Shrashti Verma.

[70][71] In May 2024, both Ruben and Karthika Srinivas opted out of the film due to scheduling conflicts and creative differences, resulting in them being replaced by Naveen Nooli; Sukumar's earlier collaborator.

[97][98] On 24 November 2024, a pre-release event was held in Leo Muthu Indoor Stadium, Sri Sai Ram Engineering College in Chennai.

[145] The film minted record advance booking sales grossing ₹100 crores worldwide[146] and selling around 2 million tickets in its pre-bookings alone.

[146] The film also set the record for being the fastest movie to sell 1 million tickets on BookMyShow surpassing Baahubali 2: the Conclusion, K.G.F: Chapter 2, and Kalki 2898 AD.

"[155] Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave 4.5/5 stars and wrote "A wildfire entertainer with mass appeal, blending intense action, gripping drama, emotional depth and Allu Arjun's unmatched swag which elevates the film, making it a must-watch for fans and audiences alike".

"[157] Ganesh Aaglave of Firstpost gave 4/5 stars and wrote "On the whole, Pushpa 2 is bigger, grander and better as Allu Arjun is set to rule the box office with its swag.

"[158] Neeshita Nyayapati of Hindustan Times wrote "At the end of it all, Pushpa 2: The Rule is entertaining, makes you chuckle and also feel something for its titular character, even if not flawless and has a shallow message about women's safety.

[159] Paul Nicodemus of The Times of India gave 3.5/5 stars and wrote "Pushpa 2: The Rule is a sequel that surpasses its predecessor in scale, storytelling, and emotional depth.

Sukumar’s vision, combined with Allu Arjun’s powerhouse performance, layered narrative, breathtaking visuals, and stellar ensemble cast, makes it a cinematic triumph that demands to be experienced on the big screen.

"[160] Rishil Jogani of Pinkvilla gave 3/5 stars and wrote "Pushpa 2: The Rule is a quintessential mass entertainer that will surely satisfy fans of the franchise.

[167] Sanyukta Thakare of Mashable India gave the film 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote "Pushpa 2: The Rule does not add anything new to the barrage of similar south characters, nor the action showcased by the entertainment industry".

[168] Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu wrote "A stunning ‘jatara’ sequence anchored by a superb Allu Arjun and a few face-offs, director Sukumar's ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ seems incoherent and incomplete.

"[169] Lekha Menon of Khaleej Times wrote "The music is loud, the editing at several places is disjointed and the action choreography basically includes characters flying in air and Pushpa beating the bad guys to pulp.

[a] On 24 November 2024, at the pre-release event in Chennai, composer Devi Sri Prasad blamed the producers for repeated complaints against him that he failed to deliver the background score and songs on time.

[199][200] This controversy also came into light when Mythri Movie Makers, who are also the producers of the upcoming Good Bad Ugly (2025), replaced Prasad with G. V. Prakash Kumar.

Goud found this comparison disrespectful, arguing that using the term "army" in this context belittles the sacrifices made by the armed forces.

[206] On 4 December 2024, a woman died while her young son was critically injured in a stampede during the film's premiere at Sandhya movie theater near RTC X Roads, Hyderabad.

[207] A case was later filed under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on the film's unit, Allu Arjun, his security team, and the owner of the theatre.