Tragedy struck during the premiere of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ in Hyderabad, where a woman lost her life and her son was injured in a stampede at Sandhya Theatre.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night as thousands of fans gathered at the theatre to catch a glimpse of Allu Arjun, the star of the much-anticipated sequel. Police were forced to resort to a lathi-charge to control the crowd, leading to chaos and panic outside the venue.

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Among the victims were 39-year-old Revati and her 9-year-old son, Sriteja. Both fainted during the stampede and were quickly rushed to a nearby hospital.

While police officers performed CPR on the young boy, Revati was later pronounced dead at KIMS Hospital early Thursday morning. Her son remains under medical care, with his condition currently stable.

Revati’s husband, Bhaskar, and their daughter, Sanvi, fortunately escaped the incident unharmed.

The incident unfolded as fans, eager to see Allu Arjun, surged towards the main gate of the theatre, which eventually collapsed under the pressure.

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The actor was inside the venue attending the premiere with some members of the film crew, prompting the police to increase security in an effort to prevent further incidents.

Following the tragic event, Chikkadpalli Police have launched an investigation and registered a case. The stampede overshadowed the excitement surrounding the premiere of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’, a sequel to the 2021 blockbuster ‘Pushpa: The Rise’.

The movie was set for release across multiple languages on Thursday, with premiere shows in select theatres in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Bengaluru.

The film, directed by Sukumar, features Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil in key roles, along with a supporting cast that includes Anasuya Bharadwaj and others.

The movie’s release was highly anticipated, leading to a hike in ticket prices, which sparked a legal challenge in the Telangana High Court. Despite the petition, the court allowed the film’s release to go ahead as planned.