The much-anticipated premiere of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 on Wednesday night at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre, RTC Crossroad, took a tragic turn when a 39-year-old woman lost her life, and her nine-year-old son was critically injured in a stampede. The boy is currently admitted at a hospital. The incident occurred as massive crowds gathered at the theatre, with Allu Arjun himself present during the chaos.
The film’s producers, Mythri Movie Makers, issued a heartfelt statement expressing their sorrow over the tragedy and vowed to support the grieving family. The statement, shared on X (formerly Twitter), read, “We are extremely heartbroken by the tragic incident during last night’s screening. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the young child undergoing medical treatment. We are committed to standing by them and extending all possible support during this difficult time. With deep sorrow.”
We are extremely heartbroken by the tragic incident during last night’s screening. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and the young child undergoing medical treatment.
We are committed to standing by them and extending all possible support during this difficult time.…
— Mythri Movie Makers (@MythriOfficial) December 5, 2024
The victim was identified as M Revathi, who had attended the premiere with her husband, M Bhaskar, their son, and their seven-year-old daughter. According to the police, the stampede occurred when the theatre gates, unable to withstand the pressure of the surging crowd, collapsed.
M Bhaskar, devastated by the loss of his wife and the critical condition of his son, recounted the harrowing ordeal in a video. He explained how the chaos unfolded, “When Allu Arjun arrived, the crowd suddenly swelled, and I got separated from my wife and son. My daughter and I were outside, while Revathi and our son were inside. Initially, when I called, she said they were inside, but later her phone was switched off. As my daughter cried, I dropped her off at a relative’s place and went back to find my wife and son. By then, they were gone. Some people showed me a video, and I recognized them. I was told they were taken to Durga Bai Deshmukh Hospital. Around 2 PM, I was informed that her body had been moved to Gandhi Hospital as she had passed away.”
Pushpa 2: The Rule is the sequel to the 2021 blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise, which earned Allu Arjun the National Award for Best Actor in 2023. Directed by Sukumar, the film also stars Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil in pivotal roles.
