“Need to assess police deployment for Nani’s premiere”: DGP

Actor Nani has sought permission to attend a special ‘The Paradise’ premiere at a theatre on Hyderabad’s RTC X Roads. The request comes amid Ganesh immersion festivities, with police assessing crowd management, traffic and security arrangements before deciding

Hyderabad: Telugu actor Nani has approached Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy seeking permission to attend a special premiere of his upcoming film ‘The Paradise’ at a theatre on RTC X Roads, amid heightened security concerns during Ganesh immersion festivities.

On Tuesday, Nani posted on X, tagging the Chief Minister, Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and Telangana Police, saying he wanted to experience the film with the general audience at a single-screen theatre ahead of its September 24 release. He requested clearance for a preview show on September 23.

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The Chief Minister responded on Wednesday, asking the actor’s team to submit a formal application to the local police station for crowd-management and public-safety arrangements.

Following this, DGP C V Anand said that with Ganesh idol immersions in full swing on the 10th day, thousands of idols and large crowds would converge on Hussain Sagar and surrounding areas. He noted that RTC X Roads, being nearby, was likely to be heavily crowded.

Anand said he would consult Hyderabad Police on whether the proposed event could be managed and whether adequate police personnel could be deployed, particularly in view of the stampede at Sandhya Theatre in December 2024, in which a woman died and her son was critically injured.

When contacted, the Chikkadpally police said no formal request had been submitted by the film unit yet.

“Nobody has approached us with regard to such permission from the film unit. We are currently busy with the security arrangements for the Ganesh idol immersion. If received, a decision would be taken keeping in mind the law-and-order situation and the safety of citizens,” said a senior police officer.

It may be recalled that in the tragic stampede that occurred on December 4, 2024, during the ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ premiere at Sandhya Theatre on RTC X Roads, Revathi, 39, died at the spot, while her son Sri Tej, then nine, was critically injured. He required prolonged hospitalisation and rehabilitation following the incident.

The case has seen multiple court hearings, with a charge sheet filed against 23 accused and summons issued to 19 of them, including actor Allu Arjun. The actor has also pledged support to the victim’s family.

With the Chief Minister directing a police review and the DGP flagging the constraints posed by the immersion festivities, any decision is expected to hinge on the crowd and traffic plan, the ability to deploy sufficient manpower without compromising immersion duties, and strict entry control and barricading.

If Hyderabad Police determine that safe management is not feasible on the proposed date and time, the event could be shifted, scaled down or denied.

‘The Paradise’, directed by Srikanth Odela, is scheduled for worldwide theatrical release on September 24, with a special preview show on September 23.