Allu Arjun’s celebratory return home from prison after his arrest fell foul as many social media users who called it insensitive and unnecessary.
The drama around Allu Arjun‘s arrest, detention, and bail was resolved in a matter of hours over Friday and Saturday. The actor was arrested from his home on Friday in connection with the death of a fan at the premiere of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule. After he was released on bail, Arjun was feted by fans and half the Telugu industry at his home in Hyderabad. The ‘celebration’ has rubbed the internet the wrong way, however, with many calling it unnecessary and insensitive, given that a minor victim of the stampede continues to be in critical condition. (Also read: Pushpa 2 Sandhya Theatre stampede: Injured 8-year-old on ventilator support, confirms hospital)
Internet angry at Allu Arjun’s celebration
Allu Arjun returned home on Saturday morning after spending the night in jail following his arrest on Friday. He was greeted by his family in an emotional reunion, followed by a press conference and a slew of celebrity visits, ranging from Venkatesh and Rana Daggubati to Sukumar and Surekha. The show of support from the industry irked many.
On X (formerly Twitter), many wrote that the same people who were earlier critical of the Telangana government for the arrest of the actor were now criticising Arjun. “Today’s non-stop celebrity visits and the publicity around it has tilted the scales in favour of Revanth Reddy. I am sure I am not the only one feeling that way. I like Allu Arjun, but today should have been a day of introspection, not celebration,” read one tweet.
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Many fans echoed this sentiment and said it was all starting to look like a PR stunt. “The arrest was unfair and now that Allu Arjun is back, what is all this tamasha of the entire Tollywood descending in his house and every moment being captured on the lens! They are going overboard with this. It looks more like a PR stunt now, and they need to simmer down,” wrote one X user.
Others lamented how Allu Arjun had not even visited the family of the woman who died despite promising ‘to be there’ for them. “No one, Not even Allu Arjun visited the lady’s family.. This is the real Elite vs Poor,” read one tweet.
As news emerged that the deceased’s eight-year-old son was critical and on a ventilator, the frustration turned into anger for some. “Raja Babu who charges ₹300 cr per film, spent one night in prison and the entire country is making him feel like a hero returning from War. This country is cooked,” ranted one X user.
What happened at Sandhya Theatre
On December 4, Allu Arjun visited the Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad for the premiere of his film Pushpa 2: The Rule. He was accompanied by his wife, Allu Sneha Reddy, and the film’s female lead, Rashmika Mandanna. A huge crowd gathered to watch the actor, leading to a stampede-like situation. This resulted in the death of 35-year-old Revathi while her son was hospitalised in critical condition.
In a press meet at his home after his release on Saturday, Allu Arjun distanced himself from the tragedy. I was inside the theatre watching a movie with my family, and the accident happened outside. It is truly of no direct connection to me, truly accidental, purely unintentional. My love is with the family, and I’ll be there in whatever way possible,” he said.
