Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has reassured Tollywood actors and filmmakers that his government stands firmly behind the Telugu film industry, emphasizing that law and order will not be compromised.
This statement came after tensions arose between the state government and the film industry following the arrest of actor Allu Arjun, star of Pushpa 2.
In a meeting held on Thursday, Reddy addressed the concerns of Tollywood figures and clarified the government's stance. He stressed that while the film industry is valued, celebrities must take responsibility for their actions and manage their fanbases effectively to avoid such incidents in the future.
The meeting, which took place at the Telangana State Police Command and Control Centre in Banjara Hills, saw the attendance of several prominent actors and filmmakers, including Nagarjuna, Varun Tej, Sai Dharam Tej, Kalyan Ram, and Venkatesh.
Directors like Koratala Siva, Anil Ravipudi, and K Raghavendra Rao, along with producers such as Suresh Babu and Allu Aravind, were also present.
The meeting followed a tragic incident on December 4 during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at Sandhya Theatre, where a large crowd gathered to see Allu Arjun. Chaos ensued when the actor waved to his fans from the sunroof of his car, leading to the death of a 35-year-old woman and injuries to her young child.
While some Congress leaders criticized Allu Arjun for his actions, claiming the incident was purely accidental, CM Revanth Reddy had earlier accused the actor of violating safety protocols by organizing a “roadshow” in front of the theatre. Allu Arjun, however, refuted the accusations, stating that it was not a roadshow but a casual greeting to his fans.
The controversy intensified when Allu Arjun was arrested by Hyderabad Police on December 13 in connection with the incident. He was later granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court the following day. Despite the arrest, the actor continued to deny any wrongdoing, calling the allegations an attempt at character assassination.
The political fallout of the incident continues, with CM Reddy asserting that the police had denied permission for such an event due to safety concerns, a claim which Allu Arjun strongly disputed.