Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2: The Rule has caused literal destruction even before its theatrical release.
In a tragic incident, a female fan and her 9-year-old son suffered a devastating fate during the film's premiere show, leaving one dead and the other critically injured. The incident has left everyone shaken.
On Wednesday night, Pushpa 2 held its much-anticipated premiere screening.
At around 10:30 pm, Allu Arjun reportedly arrived unannounced at the Sandhya Theater, causing the crowd to go into a frenzy. The excitement quickly turned into chaos, triggering a stampede.
Among the victims were 39-year-old Revathi and her young son.
The mother and child were crushed in the stampede, with Revathi succumbing to her injuries and her son left in critical condition.
According to The Hindu, the stampede occurred after news broke of Allu Arjun and music director Devi Sri Prasad’s presence at the theater.
A police officer was quoted as saying, “There was no information about their arrival until two hours before, so no bandobast was organized. People in large numbers gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor while he was leaving the theater, leading to the stampede.”
Chikkadpally ACP L. Ramesh Kumar explained that the theater was filled beyond capacity, causing suffocation.
“No one helped the woman with CPR, and she succumbed to asphyxiation,” he said. The injured child was rushed to a private hospital for treatment.
While Pushpa 2 has been heavily promoted as one of the biggest releases of the year—drawing massive crowds for events like the trailer launch in Patna—this incident raises serious concerns about safety at such large gatherings.
This tragedy prompts a critical question: is stardom worth such a heavy price? Both stars and fans bear a share of responsibility.
Celebrities must understand the impact of their unplanned appearances on unorganized crowds, and fans must prioritize their safety over the lure of catching a glimpse of their idols.
As we celebrate cinema with grand events, perhaps it’s time to reflect on whether such spectacles are worth risking lives.
True celebration of cinema should not come at such a devastating cost.
