Veteran Bollywood filmmaker Boney Kapoor defended South superstar Allu Arjun and said that he should not be blamed for the stampede which took place outside Hyderabad's Sandhya Theatre during the screening of Pushpa 2: The Rule on December 4. One woman was killed and her son sustained serious injuries post the stampede. On December 13, Allu Arjun was arrested in connection with the case and was released on bail on the same day.
In an interview with Galatta Plus, Boney Kapoor opened up about the massive crowds celebrities draw during the promotions of their films.
He said, "When I first saw Ajith’s film releasing at 1 am, I was shocked to see 20,000 to 25,000 people outside the theatre. After I came out of the show at around 4 am, there were still that many people outside. I am told the same thing happens with films of Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, or present-day stars like Jr NTR, Ram Charan, and Mahesh Babu."
Talking about the Sandhya Theatre incident, he stated that inflated ticket prices and additional shows play a significant role in causing the stampede.
"Ticket rates are inflated on the first two days or at least the first day for extra shows. That is why this situation has arisen where, unnecessarily, Allu Arjun was dragged and blamed for the death of a fan. It was only because of the crowd that had gathered to see the film," he said.
Allu Arjun was granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court last month in relation to the stampede. A local court in Hyderabad, which is hearing the actor's regular bail petition, announced that it will deliver its verdict on the matter on January 3.
Allu Arjun's arrest
Allu Arjun was booked in the stampede case, and he was arrested on December 13. The actor managed to secure bail on the same day, and he walked out free the next day after spending a night in jail.
The actor has promised to look after the medical expenses of the minor who is undergoing treatment at the hospital, and his father, Allu Aravind, also announced financial support of Rs 2 crore for the injured child.
