New Delhi: Telugu Actor Allu Arjun has been arrested by the police in connection with a stampede at the premiere of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule in Hyderabad on 4 December.
A 39-year-old woman died in the stampede, which broke after the actor made an unscheduled appearance at the theatre showing his recently released film Pushpa 2: The Rule.
The film industry has strongly criticised the arrest of Allu Arjun, calling it unfair to single out one actor in such a situation.
“Today, artists have become an easy target,” noted film expert Kalpeshraj Kubal. “While I empathise with the woman who lost her life, audiences also need to take responsibility for their actions. They should anticipate the risks involved in such situations. Accountability lies 50 per cent with the audience and 50 per cent with the organisers.”
Tamil film expert Rajesh Rajamani highlighted the growing trend of using first-weekend rush as a marker of an actor’s or director’s star power.
“It’s no secret that surprise visits by big stars or filmmakers to theatres are designed to attract more crowds,” he explained.
However, Rajamani pointed out the lack of proper systems in place to manage the large crowds these events draw, which ultimately led to the tragedy.
“Blaming a single actor for this is an extreme step. Instead, we should view this incident as a lesson and figure how the initial days of a big star’s film can be better managed,” he said.
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Charges against Allu Arjun
The police have booked the Sandhya Theatre management, the actor, and his security team under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 118 (voluntarily causing hurt).
The FIR was based on a complaint by M Bhaskar, whose wife, Revathi, tragically lost her life, while his daughter and son suffered serious injuries.
Kubal also pointed to the role of local authorities. “Whenever such large gatherings occur, the police and other officials are typically involved. They should have taken preemptive action to ensure public safety,” he said.
However, the police claimed that they had no prior intimation that the film’s team would turn up for the premiere.
Allu Arjun had approached the High Court on 11 December, seeking to quash the FIR registered by the Chikkadapally police.
Good riddance!
Should be kept in jail. That’s where he truly belongs.
As it is, he looks like a street urchin and his style (in Pushpa) is that of a daily wage labourer.
Everyone’s better off with him locked up in a jail.
The film itself was illogical and now the arrest.