Woman dies, boy critical after stampede at Pushpa 2 premiere in Hyderabad to see Allu Arjun

Hyderabad: A woman lost her life in a stampede during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule, starring Allu Arjun, on Wednesday night.

The incident occurred at Sandhya Theatre, RTC Crossroads, where actor Allu Arjun had arrived to watch the show along with members of the film unit. The chaos unfolded around 10.30 pm when a large crowd surged to catch a glimpse of the star.

Amid the commotion, a woman and a boy—believed to be her son—fainted. Police personnel administered Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and rushed them to a hospital. Tragically, the woman succumbed to her injuries, while the boy remains in critical condition, according to The Times of India.

Adding to the chaos, the theatre’s main gate collapsed under the pressure of the crowd. With Allu Arjun still inside the theatre, police intensified security measures, deploying additional forces to prevent further incidents.

A police official noted that the small capacity of the theatre could not accommodate the overwhelming crowd. Asked about reports that police resorted to mild lathi-charge, the official said to control the situation they used mild force to disperse the surging crowd.

Anticipation for Pushpa 2: The Rule
Directed by Sukumar, Pushpa 2: The Rule premiered in select theatres across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Bengaluru on Wednesday night ahead of its official release on Thursday. The sequel to the 2021 blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise, the movie is being released on over 10,000 screens in 2D and 4DX formats. However, the 3D version was canceled at the last minute due to delays in post-production.

The film features Rashmika Mandanna as the female lead, with Fahadh Faasil reprising a key role from the first installment. Anasuya Bharadwaj, Jagadeesh Prathap Bandari, and Daali Dhananjaya are also part of the cast.

High demand for the movie led to increased ticket prices in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, a move that sparked legal challenges. A public interest litigation filed in the Telangana High Court contested the state government’s approval of the price hike, but the court declined to stay the film’s release.

The tragic incident at the premiere has cast a shadow over the much-anticipated release, highlighting the risks of overcrowding at public events.