Pushpa 2 stampede case: Telugu filmmaker slams Allu Arjun, tells actors to stop acting like Gods: 'It is unacceptable'

Allu Arjun may have delivered his career's biggest hit- Pushpa 2: The Rule, but the actor is facing the heat of his own stardom. Telugu filmmaker Tammareddy Bharadwaj has now slammed the actor for the stampede incident that happened during the premiere of his recent film at Sandhya Theatre, which led to the death of a woman, and her child in serious medical condition. 

As quoted by Free Press Journal, filmmaker Bharadwaj blamed Allu Arjun for the incident and claimed that because of his fault and negligence, the entire film industry was compelled to bow down before Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

Bhardwaj said, "This is unfortunate. While mistakes can happen unknowingly, it is unacceptable to knowingly lie to cover them up… Every time, the industry has to approach the Chief Minister and stand with folded hands. But why has it come to this? Observing recent incidents gives clarity not just to those in the industry but also to outsiders."

The filmmaker further explained that new-age actors should stop behaving like Gods, and should learn from veterans who used to attend screening without any hullabaloo. He said that fans consider film stars as Gods, and heroes are increasingly behaving as they must travel in convoys and hold roadshows wherever they go. He further suggested that if they quietly go to watch a film and return without much fuss, such incidents can be easily avoided. 

Bharadwaj gave examples of Chiranjeevi and Nagarjuna, saying, "They did so discreetly—they would go to a multiplex, watch the movie, and return after briefly interacting with fans present at the venue. If they had to visit a single-screen theatre, they would do it silently, without announcing it. But now, social media reveals when and where a hero will be, even before they arrive. This leads to massive crowds gathering to see them, resulting in chaotic situations." At last, he said that if heroes remember that they are ordinary humans like everyone else, there wouldn’t be so much chaos surrounding them.

For the unversed, Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with the stampede incident and was produced before the Nampally court. He was remanded to a 14-day judicial custody but was granted interim bail for four weeks on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. However, delays in paperwork resulted in him spending a night in jail.