Pawan Kalyan, the deputy chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, expressed his views on the tragic stampede that occurred during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre, which resulted in the death of a woman. He stated that the incident could have been prevented if proper safety measures had been in place. The Jana Sena Party president, who is also Allu Arjun’s uncle, suggested that either the actor or someone from his team should have reached out to the victim’s family sooner. Despite this, he made it clear that he did not hold Allu Arjun responsible for the incident or blame the Telangana police for arresting him afterward.
Pawan Kalyan emphasized that filmmaking is a collective effort, with all those involved sharing responsibility. He pointed out that blaming Allu Arjun alone for the incident was unfair. He also noted that the theatre management should have taken necessary precautions when Allu Arjun attended the screening, including informing him about the situation beforehand. He acknowledged that, even if the information had been shared, Allu Arjun might not have heard it due to the loud cheers from the crowd.
Regarding the police, Pawan Kalyan stated that he didn’t blame them because their primary responsibility is to ensure security. He recalled a recent incident in Vizianagaram, where the police advised him to stay at the front for safety. He also mentioned that Allu Arjun should have taken more precautions. Drawing from his own experience and that of his elder brother Chiranjeevi, Pawan Kalyan explained that Chiranjeevi often went to the theatre alone and in disguise to avoid attention, something he himself had done as well.
Pawan Kalyan further explained that it’s normal for people to show admiration for film stars, and actors deserve recognition and awards for their work. However, he added that if an actor does not acknowledge the crowd by greeting them, it can lead to negative perceptions of the actor, with people focusing on their pride or arrogance.
He also praised Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for his strong stance on the incident. Pawan Kalyan described Revanth Reddy as a great leader who rose from the grassroots and adopted a positive approach toward the film industry. He highlighted that Revanth Reddy supported the film industry, especially during the release of Pushpa 2, and his approval of ticket price hikes had encouraged the growth of the industry. Pawan Kalyan rejected the idea that Revanth Reddy overreacted against Allu Arjun. He also argued that it was unfair to suggest that Revanth Reddy had Allu Arjun arrested just because the actor failed to mention his name at an event, adding that if Revanth Reddy had been in the same position, he too would have been arrested.
Reddy had defended the arrest, accusing Allu Arjun of attending the screening despite the police denying permission, a claim Allu Arjun rejected, calling the incident “purely an accident.”
Pawan Kalyan expressed that Allu Arjun should have contacted the victim’s family sooner. He said the woman’s death was deeply shocking, and support for the family should have been offered earlier. He criticized the lack of empathy shown in the situation and said there should have been an expression of regret, even if the actor or his team wasn’t directly responsible. He also suggested that if Allu Arjun couldn’t personally visit, someone from his team should have gone to offer condolences and reassurance. He explained that the public’s anger stemmed from the absence of such a gesture and added that Allu Arjun, too, felt the pain of knowing someone had lost their life because of the incident.
Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13, eight days after a case was filed against him and 10 others, with charges including culpable homicide, which could lead to a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A local court in Hyderabad sent him to 14 days in judicial custody, but he was granted interim bail for four weeks by the Telangana High Court, which will expire on January 10.
At a press conference on Saturday, Allu Arjun rejected the allegations, calling them part of a smear campaign. He expressed frustration over what he described as miscommunication, misinformation, and false accusations. He stated he felt deeply humiliated by the damage to his reputation, adding that after working in the industry for 20 years and earning respect and credibility, all of it had been destroyed in just one day.