A tragic incident occurred at the premiere of the highly anticipated film Pushpa 2: The Rule in Hyderabad on Wednesday evening, resulting in the death of a 35-year-old woman and serious injuries to her nine-year-old son. The stampede took place at Sandhya Theatre, where a massive crowd had gathered not only to watch the film but also to catch a glimpse of the film’s lead actor, Allu Arjun, who had arrived with music director Devi Sri Prasad for the screening.
The chaos outside the theatre escalated when fans surged towards the venue, eager to see the stars. According to police reports, the overwhelming pressure from the crowd caused the main gate of the theatre to collapse, leading to the stampede. Despite efforts by the authorities to control the situation, including a lathi charge to disperse the crowd, the scene quickly became fatal. The woman was killed in the ensuing panic, and her son was critically injured. He was promptly rushed to a private hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment for his injuries.
Authorities had already called in additional police reinforcements to manage the swelling crowd. Thousands had gathered not only for the film screening but also to catch a glimpse of the cast and crew, including Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil. The surge in crowd numbers and the excitement surrounding the premiere led to an unfortunate and uncontrollable situation. Despite the police’s best efforts, the disorder resulted in the stampede that ended tragically.
Pushpa 2: The Rule, directed by Sukumar, is the sequel to the 2021 blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise. The film is set to release in over 10,000 screens across various languages. Although there were plans to release the movie in 3D, those plans were scrapped due to delays in post-production, and screenings will proceed in 2D and 4DX formats.
The release of Pushpa 2 has already caused a stir, with ticket prices being hiked in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The price increases sparked petitions in the courts, but despite the protests, the Telangana High Court allowed the release to go ahead. Fans were eagerly anticipating the film, but this tragic event has overshadowed the excitement surrounding its premiere.
