Big producers and actors, including superstar Arjun’s father Allu Aravind, met Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on December 26, 2024. The meeting took place after the tragic crowding during the screening of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rules’. A woman named Revati died and her son was seriously injured.
During the meeting, CM Revanth Reddy said maintenance of law and order is a common responsibility of celebrities and law enforcement agencies. He warned that celebrities must work closely with police to ensure crowd control at public events. The statement came in the wake of a police report indicating that bodyguards hired by Allu Arjun acted recklessly during the incident and contributed to the chaos. He also urged celebrities to play an active role in social issues, particularly in anti-drug campaigns and promoting education.
The meeting was aimed at improving relations between the film industry and the government amid heightened tensions following Allu Arjun’s arrest in connection with the incident. The prime minister has been vocal about his disappointment with the celebrities who gathered at Arjun’s residence after his release, accusing them of not considering the victims of the stampede.
The attendees at the meeting included celebrities like producers Dil Raju, Suresh Daggubati, directors Trivikram Srinivas and Harish Shankar. Actors Venkatesh Daggubati, Nithiin and Varun Tej were also part of the talks to address the ongoing issues between the government and film bodies.
The Telangana state government recently announced that it will no longer allow special bonus shows for movies and may limit ticket price hikes to certain categories of movies that focus on historical events or social issues.
The decision comes after Sankranthi films including big-budget films like Ram Charan’s Game Changer, Nandamuri Balakrishna’s Dark Maharaj and Venkatesh’s Sankrantiki Vasthunnam. This could have a major impact on future releases during the festival. Producers often rely on these price hikes to maximize profits during the weekend opening.
