The Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024) superstar refutes allegations by the Telangana MLA that he disregarded stampede victims and proceeded with the special screening. He blames no one for the tragic events of 4 December and describes the ensuing politics as nothing but character assassination.
By Mayur Lookhar
Superstar Allu Arjun held a press conference in Hyderabad to dismiss the allegations made against him by All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen politician Akbaruddin Owaisi. Speaking in the Telangana Assembly, the Chandrayangutta MLA claimed that Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024) actor was insensitive in the aftermath of the Sandhya Theatre tragedy of 4 December.
Owaisi alleged that after arriving at Sandhya Theatre and learning of the stampede tragedy, Arjun remarked that his film was now a hit and shamelessly proceeded with the special screening.
Telangana CM Revant Reddy has repeatedly criticised Allu Arjun since the tragic evening, blaming the superstar and his fans for a lack of sensitivity in the matter.
This episode has clearly snowballed into a political slugfest between rival parties in Andhra and Telangana, with Allu Arjun’s fans calling it character assassination by the ruling party in Telangana.
Amidst this storm, Allu Arjun stepped forward to dismiss the allegations.
“There is a lot of misinformation claiming I behaved in a particular way. These are wrong allegations. It’s humiliating and amounts to character assassination. There is a lot of misinformation and false allegations, especially targeting my character,” said Arjun.
Arjun strongly condemned Akbaruddin Owaisi’s allegations but refrained from blaming anyone for the tragedy.
“It is an unfortunate incident, and genuinely, nobody is at fault,” said Arjun. “I believe nobody should be blamed. I am not here to blame anyone, any department, or the government. In fact, I am thankful to the government for being supportive of the film industry. This is simply to clarify that there is a lot of misinformation and false allegations. I have not said anything like what is being claimed. Please don’t judge me.”
The superstar has repeatedly stated that, at this moment, he is focused on the well-being of the boy who was left in a coma while his mother passed away in the stampede.
“I am getting hourly updates about how the kid is doing. He is progressing. The only good thing is that the boy is getting better. My whole attempt is to produce good entertainment for the audience and want people to leave with a smile.” said Arjun.
The tragic events of 4 December have sparked debate on fanaticism and raised questions about the capability of theatres to manage crowds at such screenings. Under fire, the Sandhya Theatre management shared a letter in which they had requested adequate security from the Chikladpally Police for 4 and 5 December.
While Telangana politicians are blaming Arjun for the stampede, the state government and police must answer why adequate security was not provided. Telangana CM has stated that no privileges should be granted to such celebrities.
It is also important to note that Arjun’s cousin Pawan Kalyan is the Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh, while his uncle Chiranjeevi is the founder of the Praja Rajyam Party. While fanaticism certainly played a part in the stampede, it is becoming increasingly evident how this episode is being politicised for vested interests.
A few weeks after the tragic episode, Arjun was arrested by the local police after the victim Revathi’s husband, Bhasker, named Arjun as an accused. A magistrate court sent Arjun to 14-day judicial custody before the Telangana High Court granted him bail on the same day. Since then, Bhasker has had second thoughts, refusing to blame the actor and even contemplating withdrawing his complaint.
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