No benefit shows for films in Telangana post Pushpa 2 stampede: CM Revanth Reddy stands firm on decision, says report
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy met a few representatives of the Telugu film industry on Thursday in a bid to ease growing tensions amid the stampede case.
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy met a few representatives from the Telugu film industry on Thursday. The meeting took place to ease growing tensions between the film industry and the state government amid the Pushpa 2 stampede case. Actors, directors, and producers, including Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, Dil Raju, and Raghavendra Rao, met the CM to discuss the future of the Telugu film industry. (Also Read: 'Will not let your films run in Telangana': Allu Arjun gets 'warning' from Congress MLA for comments on CM Revanth Reddy)
What did CM Revanth Reddy say?
NDTV reports that Revanth told the film personalities that crowd control is as much the responsibility of the celebrities as it is of the police during public events. The CM also called out private security firms employed by high-profile actors like Allu Arjun for escalating issues. The allegation is that his bouncers had behaved ‘recklessly’ during the stampede-like situation.
CM Revanth also reportedly reaffirmed that permits for benefit shows and special screenings will no longer be given in Telangana, and ticket prices will not be allowed to be hiked. He also urged the film industry to spread awareness about drugs, women’s safety, and more, asking them to be socially responsible.
Who attended the meeting?
Dil Raju attended the meeting as the chairman of the state’s Film Development Corporation, acting as a liaison between the film industry and the government. According to 123Telugu, Raghavendra Rao expressed interest in holding an International Film Festival in Hyderabad to boost tourism.
Nagarjuna expressed his dream of making Hyderabad the ‘capital of world cinema’, urging the government to provide incentives to help the film industry grow. He also reportedly spoke about the need to set up better studios in the city. Suresh Babu expressed similar thoughts of making Hyderabad an international hub.
Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 stampede incident
On December 4, a woman called Revathi died, and her young son Sri Teja was hospitalised after a stampede-like situation broke out at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule. The Telangana police have since alleged that Allu Arjun did not have permission to visit the theatre and that his bouncers escalated an already bad situation.
CM Revanth also alleged in the state assembly that Arjun was informed of the fan's death when he was in the theatre but that he refused to leave till he was forced to by the police. The actor denied these claims. He was arrested in the case on December 13 and released on interim bail granted by the HC on December 14.
On Wednesday, Arjun’s father, producer Allu Aravind, informed the press that the team of Pushpa 2 had collectively donated ₹2 crore to the victim’s family. The actor was questioned by the cops in the case for over 3 hours this week.
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