December 5, 2024: A 35-year-old woman lost her life, and her nine-year-old son sustained serious injuries during a stampede at the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad on Wednesday evening. The tragic incident occurred as massive crowds gathered at the venue to catch a glimpse of the film’s lead actor, Allu Arjun, who attended the event alongside music director Devi Sri Prasad.
Chaos erupted outside the theatre when fans surged forward, causing the theatre’s main gate to collapse under the crowd’s pressure. Despite efforts by the police to manage the crowd, the situation spiraled into a stampede. Officers resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the mob, but the commotion turned fatal.
The injured boy was rushed to a private hospital, where he remains under treatment. Additional police forces were deployed at the theatre to prevent further incidents and ensure public safety.
The premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule, directed by Sukumar, has drawn enormous attention as a sequel to the 2021 blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise. The film stars Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil, and it is set to release across 10,000 screens in multiple languages.
However, the frenzy around the release has been accompanied by controversy. Ticket prices in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were significantly increased, sparking legal petitions. The Telangana High Court ultimately allowed the film’s release, despite objections. Initially planned for a 3D format, the movie will now be screened in 2D and 4DX formats due to post-production delays.
Fans, eager to be part of the film’s grand launch, flocked to Sandhya Theatre in overwhelming numbers, leading to the unfortunate turn of events.
Tags
- Pushpa 2 Stampede
- Hyderabad News
- Allu Arjun Fans
- Film Premiere Tragedy
- Crowd Control Issues
