Telugu superstar Allu Arjun was caught in controversy last year when a tragic incident occurred during the premiere of his hit film Pushpa 2. Directed by Sukumar and starring Rashmika Mandanna as the female lead, the film was released on 5 December across India and globally. It became a massive success, breaking several records and collecting thousands of crores at the box office.
During a special premiere at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, huge crowds gathered to see Allu Arjun in person. The excitement turned into chaos, and a stampede broke out. Sadly, one woman lost her life, and her son was seriously injured. Following the incident, police arrested Allu Arjun and briefly sent him to Chanchalguda Jail. He was released after one day.
Now, eight months later, Tollywood actor and MAA (Movie Artists Association) President Vishnu Manchu has spoken about the case. While he said he cannot comment much as the case is still ongoing in court, he made it clear that Allu Arjun is not to blame for what happened.
“As artists, we sometimes want to go to theatres to feel the audience’s reaction directly. That energy is special for us. Hearing people shout and cheer for us feels like winning Wimbledon,” said Vishnu Manchu.
He added that actors put in a lot of hard work—strict diets, long shooting hours, and physical effort—just to make their fans happy. He expressed sadness over the fan’s death, calling it very unfortunate, but said blaming Allu Arjun was not right.
“The incident was a tragedy. But it’s unfair to hold Bunny (Allu Arjun) responsible. He just wanted to share the joy with his fans,” he concluded.