Allu Arjun, whose film ‘Pushpa 2’ has been breaking records at the box office, expressed profound sorrow over a tragic incident that occurred during the film’s premiere in Hyderabad.
The tragedy unfolded on December 4, when a stampede broke out at Sandhya Theatre, leading to the death of a woman and injuring her son. Despite the film’s success, the entire ‘Pushpa 2’ team has been left heartbroken by the incident.
During the ‘Pushpa 2’ success meet on Saturday, Allu Arjun shared his deep sadness and emotional response to the tragedy. “The incident at Sandhya Theatre is incredibly unfortunate,” he said, visibly shaken. “It took me hours to process it. I couldn’t comprehend what had happened and I just blanked out when I first heard the news. It took me around 10 hours to process it psychologically. We were all in shock, and Sukumar sir, too, was deeply affected. I want to meet the family personally and offer our support. We are always here for them.”
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Director Sukumar, too, spoke at the event, his voice laden with emotion. “I have worked on this film for over six years, but for the last three days, I haven’t felt happiness. As a director, you feel every emotion deeply, and no matter how long I worked on this project, I cannot create life. My heart is broken, and I want to apologize to the family for their loss. We will always stand by them and support them in any way we can,” he said.
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 incident took place when a large crowd gathered at Sandhya Theatre to watch the much-anticipated release of ‘Pushpa 2’. To manage the chaos, the police had to resort to a mild lathi charge. Unfortunately, during this commotion, a woman lost her life, and her son was injured in the incident.
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In a heartfelt gesture, Allu Arjun shared a video on social media on Friday, extending his condolences and offering financial support.
“We deeply regret the tragic incident at Sandhya Theatre. My heartfelt condolences go out to the grieving family. I understand that nothing can replace the loss they are experiencing, but as a token of our support, I would like to offer financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh. We will also cover the medical expenses for the injured,” he announced.
His message continued with, “While they need space to grieve, I want to assure them they are not alone in this. We will be there for them through this challenging time.”
Alongside Allu Arjun’s personal message, ‘Pushpa 2”s production company, Mythri Movie Makers, issued an official statement expressing their grief. “We are extremely heartbroken by the tragic incident during last night’s screening. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, as well as the young child receiving medical treatment. We are committed to standing by them and offering all possible support,” the statement read.
Despite the tragedy, ‘Pushpa 2’ has been a massive success at the box office, continuing to draw huge audiences to theatres. Released on Thursday, the film saw packed cinemas across the country, with ‘Pushpa 2’ raking in an impressive Rs 294 crore globally on its opening day alone.