VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh deputy CM Pawan Kalyan Monday praised Telangana CM Revanth Reddy even as he blamed Allu Arjun‘s team for “lack of empathy” in handling the ‘Pushpa 2‘ stampede in a theatre in Hyderabad and its aftermath. He was surprised at the film industry not showing any regret after the stampede.
A 35-year-old woman, Revathi, had died in the Dec 4 incident, while her eight-year-old son was critically injured. In his first reaction, the Jana Sena chief said cinema is a collaborative effort and it’s unfair to blame one individual. “The theatre staff should have informed Arjun about the stampede. It is unfair to hold him solely responsible for the incident,” he added.
He said the film industry should have come together to support Revathi’s family. “Someone should have visited the victim’s family on behalf of Arjun and consoled them,” he said.
Acknowledging Revanth’s support to the film industry, Pawan said, “He provided flexibility to the industry by allowing hike in ticket price that boosted collections. He should not be blamed for the arrest. The law is equal for all,” Pawan said. Allu Arjun’s aunt, Surekha, is married to Chiranjeevi, Pawan’s elder brother.