Pushpa-2 stampede was avoidable if steps taken: Pawan Kalyan
Pawan Kalyan, however, refused to find fault with Allu Arjun, who happens to be his nephew, in going to the theatre to watch a movie, but said he should have taken adequate care
The stampede that took place during the screening of the movie, “Pushpa-2” at Sandhya Theatre, which led to the death of a 35-year-old woman and injuries of her minor son, could have been avoided had sufficient precautions been taken, Jana Sena Party president and Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan said on Monday, adding that police cannot be blamed for the arrest of actor Allu Arjun who went to watch the movie.
Speaking to reporters at his party office at Mangalagiri in Guntur district, Pawan Kalyan said that the theatre management should have taken adequate security measures when Allu Arjun went to the to watch the movie there.
“The staff should have informed Allu Arjun about this matter beforehand. Once he sat down, they should have informed him and taken necessary action,” he said, adding that even if it was communicated to Allu Arjun, it was possible that he might not have heard it amid loud cheers from the crowd.
“In such incidents, I don’t blame police because their priority is security. Even during my recent tour in Vizianagaram district, police asked me to stay at the front,” he said.
Pawan Kalyan, however, refused to find fault with Allu Arjun, who happens to be his nephew, in going to the theatre to watch a movie, but said he should have taken adequate care. “Even Chiranjeevi (his elder brother) used to go to the theatre, but alone and in disguise. I have also been in such situations,” he said.
Stating that it is quite common that people show love and affection for film stars, and fans get excited when a hero arrives. “Film stars deserve praise and awards, which cannot be ignored. If the actor doesn’t reciprocate the crowds by greeting them, people may develop a different perception of him. Pride and arrogance become topics of discussion,” he said.
He praised chief minister A Revanth Reddy as a great leader who rose from the grassroots and noted that his approach towards the film industry was different from the YSRCP’s methods. Flexibility was granted for increasing ticket prices, which boosted movie collections. Films like “Salaar” and “Pushpa-2” achieved massive box office success with his cooperation.
“Revanth Reddy fully supported the film industry, particularly during the release of Pushpa-2. Allowing ticket price hikes has greatly encouraged the growth of the industry,” he said.
The Andhra deputy CM, however, said that law should be equal for everyone. “It is wrong to say that Revanth Reddy got Allu Arjun arrested just because the latter had forgotten his name in the success meet of the film. Even if Revanth Reddy was in that position, he would have been arrested like Allu Arjun,” he said.
Pawan Kalyan felt that Allu Arjun should have had empathy for the stampede victim’s family. “The death of the woman was really shocking. We should have conveyed earlier that we are all here to support the family. There should have been a sense of regret for the mistake, even if it happened without their direct involvement. There is a clear lack of humanity in this matter,” he said.
He felt that if not Allu Arjun, it would have been better if someone from his side had visited the victims’ home the very next day to offer reassurance and condolences. “People’s anger stems from the absence of such a gesture. (Allu) Arjun, too, feels the pain of knowing that someone lost their life because of this incident,” he said.
“In cinema, it’s a team effort, and everyone should be a part of it. In this case, Allu Arjun has been made the sole culprit, which I believe is not right,” he added.
