Benefit Shows no longer permitted in Telangana after Pushpa 2 stampede

Pushpa 2: The Rule is roaring at the Box office, but so is it in the news. A surprise visit during a Benefit show in Hyderabad resulted in a death and an FIR against Allu Arjun. Not only that, but the Telangana Government is not in favour of hosting another benefit show, ever.

While talking to the press, Telangana Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy expressed his condolences to the victim's family. “It is very sad to see the family suffer like that. As a cinematography minister, I am appealing to the film’s producers and hero to support the family. The husband recently recovered from a liver transplant, and now his wife is no more, and his son is in the hospital,” he said.

Considering the incident, he made a tough decision to permit any benefit shows in the state no longer. “From now on, no benefit shows will be allowed in the state. If a hero wants to visit a theatre, they can go with their security and get permission from the government first,” he said.

Benefit shows are early film releases at limited screens with ticket prices higher than normal. This is a common practice in the southern states, and such shows were also organised for Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule on December 4. However, this benefit show, which is supposed to benefit both the fans and filmmakers with content and money respectively, turned into a loss show because of a stampede.

The stampede was triggered when Arjun, Rashmika, the rest of the film’s team and his family visited Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad unannounced. This created a commotion, and the chaos that ensued claimed the life of a woman and critically injured her young son. Venkata Reddy has criticised Allu Arjun and his security team, along with the theatre management. 

According to him, Allu Arjun did not need to visit a theatre that was already very crowded, and even the theatre management didn’t take any precautions to avoid this situation. After announcing restrictions on benefit shows, he mentioned that he would be releasing guidelines regarding the same soon.

As of now, he has asked Allu Arjun and his team to take care of the victim's family. An FIR has been filed against Allu Arjun for not informing the police before visiting a crowded place. 

ALSO READ: Diljit Dosanjh Shares Cryptic Post After T'gana Govt Bans His Songs Promoting Drugs At Concert