Actors should manage fans, says CM Revanth Reddy amid Pushpa 2 stampede row

Actors from the Telugu film industry, including producer Allu Aravind, the father of Allu Arjun, met with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on Thursday amid controversy surrounding Allu Arjun’s arrest in connection with a stampede at a Hyderabad theatre during a screening of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule.

Actor Allu Arjun was later granted bail in the case, which resulted in the death of a 35-year-old woman earlier this month.

At the meeting, Revanth Reddy told filmmakers and actors that celebrities must take responsibility for managing their fans and insisted that there should be "no compromise on law and order", India Today TV reported.

Among those who attended the meeting were producers Allu Aravind, Suresh Daggubati, Sunil Narang, Supriya, Naga Vamshi, and Pushpa 2 producers Naveen Yerneni and Ravi Shankar. Several actors, including Venkatesh Daggubati, Nithiin, Varun Tej, Siddhu Jonnalagadda, Kiran Abbavaram, and Shiva Balaji, were also present. Directors Trivikram Srinivas, Harish Shankar, Anil Ravipudi, and Bobby attended as well.

Tragic incident sparked industry criticism

The meeting comes in the wake of a tragic incident during a Pushpa 2 screening, where 35-year-old Revathi lost her life. Chief Minister Reddy criticised the Telugu film industry for its apparent indifference, highlighting the lack of concern for Revathi and her son, Sri Tej, who remains in critical condition in the hospital.

In response to the incident, Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said that the government may consider ticket price hike only for certain films focused on historical subjects, the freedom struggle, or those promoting anti-drug messages. If this policy is implemented, it could significantly affect upcoming Sankranti releases, including Ram Charan’s Game Changer, and Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Daaku Maharaj. Producers often depend on such price hikes to maximise profits during the opening weekend.

What happened during the movie premiere?

The stampede took place during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule, leading to the death of a 35-year-old woman and leaving her son critically injured due to asphyxiation. On December 4, a large crowd had gathered in hopes of catching a glimpse of actor Allu Arjun, who attended the screening with co-star Rashmika Mandanna and his wife Allu Sneha Reddy.

Authorities in Telangana were reportedly not informed in advance about Arjun’s presence at the event. Although the theatre management was aware of his attendance, they failed to notify the police, which hindered the deployment of additional security measures to control the crowd.

The situation worsened due to the lack of separate entry and exit points, causing overcrowding. The stampede occurred as fans rushed forward to catch a glimpse of Arjun, leading to chaos and the tragic outcome.