- विज्ञापन -
Mumbai: Filmmaker Boney Kapoor has spoken in defence of Telugu superstar Allu Arjun amidst the legal controversy surrounding the death of a fan during the premiere of his latest film, Pushpa 2: The Rule. Kapoor asserted that Arjun was “unnecessarily dragged” into the incident, attributing the tragedy solely to the overwhelming crowd present at the venue.
Addressing the matter during the Galatta Plus roundtable for filmmakers, Kapoor reflected on the fervour of South Indian film fans, recounting his own experiences. “When I first saw Ajith’s film releasing at 1 in the morning, I was stunned to see 20-25,000 people outside the theatre. By the time I left around 3:30 or 4 a.m., the crowd had not diminished. I’m told the same enthusiasm surrounds the releases of stars like Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Jr NTR, Ram Charan, and Mahesh Babu,” he said.
Drawing a parallel to the Pushpa 2 incident, Kapoor added, “Ticket rates are often inflated for the first few shows, leading to immense gatherings. This is why the situation arose, and it is unfair that Allu Arjun has been blamed for the death. The tragedy occurred because of the size of the crowd.”
The Pushpa 2 Stampede Case
The incident occurred on 4 December, the night before Pushpa 2’s release, during a special screening at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre. Allu Arjun attended the event alongside co-star Rashmika Mandanna and his wife, Sneha Reddy. According to the police, Arjun’s presence drew an enormous crowd, resulting in a stampede-like situation that tragically claimed the life of a 35-year-old woman.
Authorities alleged that Arjun appeared at the event without the necessary permissions and ignored instructions to leave once the situation escalated. The actor has denied these claims.
Arjun was arrested last month on charges including culpable homicide but was released on interim bail the following day after the Telangana High Court intervened. The case remains under investigation.
Pushpa 2: The Rule
Directed by Sukumar, Pushpa 2: The Rule stars Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil. The sequel to the 2021 blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise has surpassed expectations, earning ₹1760 crore worldwide as of 1 January 2025. This achievement positions it as the third-highest-grossing Indian film of all time.
