'Will deities be arrested if...': Ram Gopal Varma makes controversial remarks on Pushpa star Allu Arjun’s arrest

Director Ram Gopal Varma has joined celebrities like Varun Dhawan and Kangana Ranaut in reacting to Allu Arjun's recent arrest in connection with a fan's death outside a Hyderabad theatre. Allu Arjun was arrested on Friday and was released on bail on Saturday. His arrest sent shockwaves throughout the film industry. Director Ram Gopal Varma took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and raised questions on Allu Arjun's arrest. 

He wrote (translated from Telugu), "If devotees lose their lives in stampedes during religious festivals like Pushkaralu or Brahmotsavams, will the deities be arrested? If people die in stampedes during election rallies, will political leaders be taken into custody?"

December 13, 2024

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma further asked, "If someone dies at a pre-release event, will the lead actors be arrested? Isn’t crowd management the responsibility of the police and event organizers? How can film stars or public leaders control such situations?"

For the unversed, a 35-year-old woman died and her 8-year-old son had to be hospitalised on the night of December 4 when a large number of fans thronged the Sandhya theatre in Hyderabad to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun. 

Allu Arjun was on Friday taken into custody amid tight security from his residence and taken to Chikkadpally police station in a police vehicle. The husband of the deceased woman said on Friday that he “doesn’t hold Allu Arjun responsible for the tragedy”. He stated that he was “ready to withdraw” his case. “Allu Arjun is not at fault for coming to the theatre. I am ready to withdraw my case,” he told reporters.

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