The stampede during the release of Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa-2 has created a crisis of sorts in the Telugu film industry aka Tollywood with things not going well between the industry and the Congress government. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy minced no words in attacking the actor, stating that his presence in the theatre contributed to the stampede, which killed a woman and critically injured her son. He also slammed Allu Arjun for going there even after the police denied permission.
The cold war between the government and Allu Arjun has snowballed into a political slugfest, with other political parties, the BRS and BJP accusing Reddy of personally targetting the actor.
BJP leader Amit Malviya alleged that the Congress government was targetting Telugu film stars and producers because they refuse to comply with "Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s attempts to exert control and extract money from them".
However, things between the multi-crore industry and the Congress-led government could take a turn for the better with producer Dil Raju, who is also Telangana Film Development Corporation (TGFDC) chairman, set to meet the Chief Minister on Thursday. "The CM (Revanth Reddy) has scheduled tomorrow's appointment, and the entire film industry will meet him... I will act as a bridge between the Telangana Film Development Corporation and the government... Everyone available in Hyderabad will attend," he told reporters on Wednesday.
Dil Raju is often seen as a crisis manager who has solved many internal industry conflicts amicably.
Besides the stampede, Dil Raju is also expected to address other critical issues affecting the industry, such as ticket price hikes and benefit show regulations. The Telangana government's recent decision not to permit benefit shows and hike prices for tickets have come as a shocker for the industry, especially so in the wake of upcoming Sankranthi releases.
The Sankranthi is a crucial time for the industry as a lot of big-budget films, including Ram Charan’s Game Changer, Naga Vamsi’s Daku Maharaj featuring Balakrishna, and other releases lining up to hit the theatres. The season also witnesses a surge in collections.
There are speculations that Revanth Reddy isn't happy with the way the Telugu industry is responding to him. He feels they aren't "respecting him" enough. The lukewarm response from the industry to his efforts to finalise guidelines for selecting winners for the 'Gaddar Awards' has also angered Reddy, who openly expressed his dissatisfaction.