Hyderabad: Tollywood actor Allu Arjun strongly denied allegations that he visited Sandhya Theatre without permission or conducted a roadshow, expressing hurt over what he described as a character assassination.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday night, hours after Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's statement in the state Assembly, Allu Arjun dismissed claims that he ignored the tragic incident during the December 4 premier show of Pushpa 2: The Rule, where a woman lost her life and her son was injured. He called the accusations "false" and "misinformation."

“All the information going around is false. There are misquotations, and please don't judge me. I am not that kind of person,” the actor said. He added that he was deeply humiliated by the attack on his character but refrained from blaming any individual or the government, calling the incident an unfortunate accident with no one at fault.

With over 20 years in the industry, Allu Arjun lamented the damage to his credibility. “I have earned this respect after 21-22 years of work. When it is sabotaged overnight, it really hurts,” he said.

Allu Arjun clarified that he did not visit the theatre without permission, explaining that when he arrived, police were already clearing the crowd, suggesting that everything was under control. “If there was no permission, they could have told us, and I would have gone back," he said. He also denied claims of conducting a roadshow, stating he merely waved at the crowd a few yards away from the theatre.

The actor dismissed the allegation that he stayed at the theatre after being informed of the incident. “No policeman came to me. It was one of my managers who told me that the crowd outside was uncontrollable, and it was better to leave,” he explained. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had earlier stated that a Deputy Commissioner of Police had warned Allu Arjun to leave or face arrest.

Allu Arjun revealed that he only learned of the woman’s death the following day and was shocked. “I wanted to meet the family and visit the hospital to see the boy, but my legal team advised against it as the family had filed a police case,” he said.

Condolences and support
The actor assured that he would do everything possible for the family. He shared a video expressing his condolences and promised financial support of Rs 25 lakh for the family. “It was not just about money,” he stressed.

Allu Arjun revealed he was so deeply affected by the incident that he cancelled all celebrations and events related to the film. “This is a very low point,” he said, adding that he had not yet watched the film in the theatre due to the shock.

He reiterated his commitment to the film, emphasising that he had put three years of hard work into it. "It meant everything to me, and I went to watch the movie in the theatre," he concluded.

With IANS inputs