Perhaps the state is now making a distinction between Allu Arjun the actor and Allu Arjun the roadshow-rallying celebrity whose actions may have contributed to chaos.
Published May 30, 2025 | 9:31 AM ⚊ Updated May 30, 2025 | 9:31 AM
Revanth Reddy and Allu Arjun.
Synopsis: After being arrested for alleged negligence last December in connection with a stampede during a show of Pushpa II, the Telangana government has named Allu Arjun the best actor in the state for the same movie.
Actor Allu Arjun, not long ago at the receiving end of the state government’s ire, is now getting ready to take a bow — quite literally. He is all set to receive the Best Lead Actor award at the newly launched Gaddar Film Awards. Ah, politics — where yesterday’s villain can become today’s superstar, no need to rewrite the script.
It wasn’t too long ago that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had publicly scoffed at the idea of Arjun being called a “hero.” “Did he fight at the war front with an enemy nation?” the chief minister had asked in the Assembly, eyebrows raised and sarcasm dialled up to eleven.
The dramatic fallout stemmed from a tragic incident during the release of Pushpa II – the Rule, at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad last December. A woman died, her son was critically injured and remains bedridden — a life tragically altered. The incident triggered a storm of debates, legal hair-splitting. It even drew the attention of the National Human Rights Commission, which demanded a detailed action taken report (ATR) from the city police over alleged lapses in crowd safety measures.
The police, acting with unusual swiftness, swooped down on Allu Arjun’s home while he was enjoying his morning coffee. He was arrested, spent a night in jail, and got a crash course on what real-life prison feels like — quite unlike the dramatic, shirtless jail-break scenes on screen. He was out on bail the next day, but not before the state had made its point: Even “Stylish Stars” can get a taste of khaki justice.
Fast forward five months, and the mood has flipped faster than a Tollywood dance step. The same government now hails him as a cinematic gem. The jury of the Gaddar Film Awards apparently found his performance in Pushpa II: The Rule to be “nonpareil” — unmatched, undeniable, and apparently, unforgettable.
Perhaps the state is now making a distinction between Allu Arjun the actor and Allu Arjun the roadshow-rallying celebrity whose actions may have contributed to chaos. One will be rewarded. The other? Well, that case might still be pending.
Interestingly, after the Hyderabad Disaster Management and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) pulled down N Convention of actor Akkineni Nagarjuna and the police arrested Arjun, it appears Tollywood has attained nirvana.
The glitzy glamour world now seems more enamoured with Revanth Reddy. After all, under those arc lights and celebrity spotlights, it is still the chief minister’s chair that holds the real power — and nobody in showbiz wants to ignore it. They know that if they do, they would be doing so at their own peril.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
