Award for Pushpa 2: Telangana govt faces flak for double standards

The Telangana Congress government is under fire for what many see as a case of political double standards regarding Allu Arjun and the Pushpa film franchise.

The controversy began during the premiere event of “Pushpa 2: The Rule,” when a tragic stampede at a Hyderabad theatre led to the brief arrest of Allu Arjun. At the time, several ministers in Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s cabinet blamed the actor and questioned the Pushpa franchise’s glorification of smuggling and violence.

Notably, Minister Seethakka publicly criticized the National Film Awards jury for previously honoring Allu Arjun as Best Actor for his role in “Pushpa: The Rise.” She questioned the ethics behind awarding a performance that portrayed a red sanders smuggler as a hero, and even raised concerns ignoring films like Suriya’s “Jai Bhim”.

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However, in a striking reversal, the same Congress-led state government has now awarded Allu Arjun the Best Actor award for “Pushpa 2: The Rule” at the Gaddar Telangana Film Awards 2024, instituted for the first time by the government in memory of revolutionary poet Gaddar.

This move has drawn sharp criticism and allegations of hypocrisy, with many pointing out the contradiction. The same administration that once criticized the actor and his role as a smuggler is now honoring him for that very performance in the same franchise.

It is actually vindication for Allu Arjun.