Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, on Monday (December 9), stated that superstar Allu Arjun should not be blamed for the stampede which happened during the special screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule on December 4 in Hyderabad. For those unversed, the actor was also booked, along with the theatre management, for the stampede. A 37-year-old woman died and her son was injured in the incident.
Taking to his official X account, Varma stated that stampedes happen when a huge crowd gathers to get a glimpse of celebrities. He also said that police should not have given permission for the event if they knew the actor would attract thousands of people at the venue.
Defending Allu Arjun, the director wrote, "It is truly ridiculous to blame @alluarjun for the unfortunate death of a woman in a stampede outside a theatre playing #Pushpa2. Celebrities by their very appeal draw huge crowds whether they are Film Stars, Rock stars and even Gods for that matter... and stampedes happen very commonly when there are huge crowds and this is not the 1st time a stampede happened."
He added, "On one hand if Allu Arjun or his team, if they themselves publicised his upcoming visit, then that information is public and isn’t it then the police’s responsibility to ask him not to come? If they did not do it, it means that they too didn't anticipate which makes the incident an accident. Stars visiting theatres has been happening since years and crowds throng all the time and this is just a rare unfortunate incident."
Varma also said that such special shows should not be banned. He also questioned why political rallies and not banned after people die in stampedes. "So even if one wants to take action either the police or theatre management should be made responsible for whether a star should be given permission to come but why ban BENEFIT SHOWS? Also there were hundreds of BENEFIT SHOWS all over the state and #Alluarjun just came to one theatre and so instead of putting restrictions on a star attending a theatre, to ban BENEFIT SHOWS is like BANNING TRAFFIC because of an ACCIDENT. People die in the political meeting stampedes or mela‘s stampedes, are the meetings or mela’s being banned?" he asked.
Take a look at Varma's full note here:
Allu Arjun reacts to the stampede
Allu Arjun expressed his condolences over the death of the woman at Sandhya Theatre due to the stampede. He also announced an assistance of Rs 25 lakh to help the bereaved family.
He said in the video, "We extend our deepest condolences to the family. We understand that no words or actions can ever compensate for the loss you are bearing. I would like to extend financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the family as a goodwill gesture... we will also take care of the medical expenses."
Earlier, Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand reportedly said that there was no intimation from the side of theatre management or Allu Arjun's team that he will be visiting the theatre. He also stated that there was no designated entry or exit for the actor and his team, despite the theatre management being informed in advance about their arrival.
For those unversed, Allu Arjun decided to attend the screening of the film and his fans went berserk to see him. As hundreds of fans rushed to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun, the main gate of the theatre collapsed. Local cops resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse the crowd.
