Anurag Thakur backs Pushpa 2 actor Allu Arjun, slams Revanth Reddy's Telangana govt

The entire controversy stems from a stampede at a theatre in Hyderabad during screening of Pushpa 2 which was attended by the actor.

Coming out in support of Telugu superstar Allu Arjun, who is mired in controversy over the Sandhya Theatre stampede-like incident, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have suggested that some people are trying to tarnish the image of Pushpa 2 actor.

Actor Allu Arjun arrives at the Chikkadpally police station for questioning as part of an ongoing probe into the stampede during the screening of ‘Pushpa-2’ in Hyderabad, on Tuesday. (PTI) (HT_PRINT)

The entire controversy stems from a December 4 incident when Allu Arjun attended the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad; a massive crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor, and chaos ensued when he waved to fans from the sunroof of his car. This led to the tragic death of a woman named Revathi and injuries to her child.

BJP leader Anurag Singh Thakur on Wednesday criticised certain ruling Congress leaders in Telangana for their remarks over actor Allu Arjun, urging the grand old party to restrain its members from making statements that could harm the reputation of the Telugu film industry.

Some Congress leaders have slammed Allu Arjun's recent remarks, where he described the stampede as a tragic accident and refuted Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's allegations regarding a "roadshow" before the film screening.

Addressing media on Wednesday in Telangana's Hyderabad, Anurag Thakur highlighted the contributions of the South Indian film industry, particularly Telugu cinema, in placing Indian cinema on the global stage.

The former Union Minister said the negative comments have potential to undermine these achievements.

“The South Indian film industry, especially Telugu cinema, has elevated Indian cinema to international prominence. Unfortunately, such baseless statements risk tarnishing this reputation,” news agency PTI quoted as saying Thakur, who also also pointed out that Allu Arjun was honored with a National Award during the PM Narendra Modi government when he served as Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting.

Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with the incident and later granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court. He was summoned for questioning in the case on Tuesday.

'CM Reddy targeting Tollywood because…'

BJP leader Amit Malviya also echoed same thoughts as his colleague Anurag Thakur on Thursday, saying chief minister Revanth Reddy-led Congress government in Telangana is targeting Tollywood allegedly because superstars have refused to comply with the CM's attempts to exert control and "extract money" from them.

In a post on X, Malviya alleged, "Something troubling is unfolding in Telangana under the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government. The administration appears to be targeting Tollywood, one of India's largest and most vibrant film industries, allegedly because Telugu superstars and film producers have refused to comply with the Chief Minister's attempts to exert control and extract money from them."

"The controversy began with the demolition of superstar Nagarjuna's convention center in Hyderabad. Subsequently, a sitting woman cabinet minister launched a personal attack on Samantha Prabhu, Nagarjuna's now-estranged daughter-in-law and a successful actress in her own right. The campaign of harassment extended to veteran actor Mohan Babu, with his son allegedly being used to settle political scores. Most recently, Allu Arjun, another prominent Tollywood figure, has found himself in the crosshairs," he said further.

Targeting the Congress, Malviya said that this situation in Telangana serves as a stark reminder for those who view Congress as a defender of free speech and expression.

"The party's actions suggest otherwise, revealing a pattern of extortion and coercion that targets livelihoods and reputations in its quest for power and wealth. After just one year in office, the Revanth Reddy-led government has become deeply unpopular, with no significant achievements to its name. Telangana appears ready for a new chapter, with the BJP poised as a potential alternative," Amit Malviya added.