Hyderabad: The Telangana government announced on Thursday, December 5, that benefit shows for films across the state will cease from now on.
While announcing the decision, Telangana cinematography minister, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said, “We will not grant permissions for any benefit shows in Telangana going forward. This decision is necessary to regulate the film industry and prevent such tragedies from recurring.”
The Telangana government’s decision to ban benefit shows for films has garnered mixed reactions from the public. A few people backed the decision and praised the government for prioritising public safety. On the other hand, people from the film industry and fans have expressed concerns over the ban’s impact on the promotion of major films.
The decision comes days after a woman died due to a stampede at the premier of Allu Arjun starrer Pushpa 2. The incident occurred on November 4 at the Sandhya Theater at RTC X roads, a boy also fell unconscious following the stampede and remains in critical condition at a hospital in Hyderabad.
What are benefit shows?
Benefit shows or premiers are special screenings of movies organised to celebrate movie releases. These events are often held early in the morning or late at night, allowing fans to gather and showcase their enthusiasm for their favourite actors.
The ban on benefit shows is expected to impact the film industry, particularly filmmakers and fan groups who traditionally rely on these events to promote movies and build excitement.
The incident at Sandhya theatre
The theatre management reportedly failed to implement adequate security measures or arrange separate entry and exit points for the arrival of lead actor Allu Arjun and his team. At around 9:30 pm, when Allu Arjun arrived at the venue, the crowd surged toward the theatre, creating a stampede.
The victim, her husband Bhaskar, and their 13-year-old son Sri Teja were stuck in the crowd. They struggled to move or breathe as the crowd surged. Police officers managed to rescue the family, performed CPR on the boy, and rushed them to a nearby hospital. However the woman was declared dead by the doctors, and her son was shifted to another hospital for further treatment.
Aside from the death of the woman, during the Pushpa 2 premiere at Sandhya 70mm Theatre in Chikkadpally, multiple attendees, including children were injured.
Case against Allu Arjun
Following the death of the woman during the stampede at the premier of Pushpa2, the Chikkadpally police booked a case against Allu Arjun.
The police registered the case against Allu Arjun, his security team and the theatre management, under sections 105 (Whoever commits culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 118(1)(punishment for intentionally causing hurt or grievous hurt) read with 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Chikkadpally police station based on the complaint by the deceased’s family.
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