The Telangana government has decided not to permit benefit shows and paid premieres for big-ticket movies any longer. The decision has been influenced by the recent death of a woman on the premises of Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad.
The announcement, mounted today by the Cinematophy Mnister, comes across as a knee-jerk reaction. It is not benefit shows/paid premiere shows alone that run the risk of stampedes. Any mismanaged public event runs this risk. It could be a religious gathering, a music concert, or a political rally.
Pre-release events of superstar movies in the Telugu States attract thousands. Recently, the Patna event of 'Pushpa 2' attracted lakhs. When these events are incident-free, where is the case to impose a ban on benefit shows?
The 'Pushpa 2' show that led to the stampede was clearly mismanged. Allu Arjun's team should have ensured proper care to rule out overcrowding. The police should have worked in close tandem with the theatre management anticipating such a scenario.
