Despite the meeting taking place amid heightened public discourse surrounding the stampede and subsequent police questioning of Allu Arjun, both parties claimed the topic didn’t come up for discussion.
Published Dec 26, 2024 | 5:20 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 26, 2024 | 5:20 PM
Prominent personalities from the Telugu film industry met with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy
Prominent figures from the Telugu film industry met with Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on 26 December at the Hyderabad Police’s Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).
The meeting follows the ongoing controversy involving popular actor Allu Arjun, who is accused in the fatal Sandhya Theatre stampede case, where a mother of two died protecting her son, who himself was hospitalised with serious injuries and remains comatose.
Tollywood bigwigs such as Nagarjuna, Venkatesh, Raghavendra, and Koratala Shiva attended the meeting, which was announced by the newly appointed Telangana State Film Development Corporation (TSFDC) Chairman Dil Raju.
Also in attendance were Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Mallu and Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy.
Despite the meeting taking place amid heightened public discourse surrounding the stampede and subsequent police questioning of Allu Arjun, there was no mention of the incident by either party. Or at least that is what is being claimed.
Both the government and industry representatives insisted that the meeting focused solely on the future of the film industry, claiming that the elephant in the room — Pushpa 2 stampede and subsequent arrest and bail of Allu Arjun — wasn’t discussed. Veiled references to the incident, however, were conspicuous during the press interaction by the entourage.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Dil Raju described the meeting as a crucial moment for the film industry’s future.
“The Telugu film industry is making waves across India, gaining respect nationwide. The Chief Minister asked us to collaborate with the government to go beyond India,” he said.
“He also asked us to make Hyderabad an international cinema hub, asking the TSFDC to submit proposals as to the kind of logistic support the goal would need,” he continued.
He also announced that the TSFDC would consult with the industry and submit a list of proposals within 15 days.
Raju added that the Chief Minister called upon the industry to have more social responsibility, coming forward to promote tourism projects and anti-drug campaigns.
“Due to some unfortunate events recently, there has been a false narrative that the government and the industry have a rift between them. I took charge as the TSFDC Chairman a week ago, and we met the Chief Minister today to seek support for the industry.
“We also spoke to the Director General of Police (DGP), explaining the kind of support we need from the forces,” he explained.
During the meeting, a protester gathered outside the ICCC, expressing frustration over hikes in ticket prices. “I watch all the films; I also understand why they might have to increase prices for some films. However, you can’t make them inaccessible to the middle- and lower-middle-class audiences,” he said.
He further demanded that the government intervene against ticket price hikes, ensuring that price increases are capped at 60 percent. However, he was promptly detained.
Meanwhile, Dil Raju evaded questions regarding the Sandhya Theatre stampede case and ticket pricing.
“The meeting was to discuss the future of the Telugu film industry. Why do you want to talk about prices or the stampede?” he responded. He added that he would soon hold a press conference at the Film Chamber to address these issues.
With the investigation still underway in the Sandhya Theatre stampede case, it remains to be seen whether Allu Arjun will have some respite or if the Pushpa 2 star will continue to face public and legal scrutiny.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
