The boy injured in the Hyderabad theatre stampede during the screening of ‘Pushpa 2’ has regained consciousness, his father Bhaskar confirmed on Tuesday, December 24. Bhaskar also expressed gratitude for the support being provided by actor Allu Arjun and the Telangana government to the child, who tragically lost his mother in the incident.
Speaking to the media, Bhaskar said, “The child responded after 20 days... he is responding today. Allu Arjun and the Telangana government are supporting us.”
Bhaskar shared that his son was taken off oxygen and ventilator support two days ago.
According to the doctors, the boy’s recovery will take time, though the hospital confirmed that Sritej is now maintaining stable vital parameters independently, without the need for any oxygen or ventilatory support.
"His sensorium is similar with spontaneous eye opening and spontaneous limb movements but there is still no meaningful eye contact or recognition of family members," it said in a health update.
Bhaskar, the father of the boy injured in the Hyderabad theater stampede during the screening of ‘Pushpa 2’, has confirmed that he received a DD for Rs 10 lakhs from Allu Arjun. Additionally, the actor’s staff, along with the film’s production house and Telangana’s Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, have extended their support to the family.
When asked about his decision to withdraw his complaint, Bhaskar clarified that there was no pressure on him. He explained that Allu Arjun’s staff had been helping from the very second day, and he felt supported throughout.
Film producer and Film Development Corporation (FDC) chairman, Dil Raju, also assured that the family would receive continued support from both the film industry and the government. He expressed his readiness to offer Bhaskar a permanent job in the film industry, should he wish to accept, though emphasized that the immediate priority was the boy’s recovery.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has praised Dil Raju's initiative to offer Bhaskar a job, according to Dil Raju. He further added that the CM had assured the film industry of the government’s support in the aftermath of the tragic stampede.
Dil Raju also addressed reports suggesting that the state government was not sufficiently responding to the concerns of the film industry regarding the stampede incident. He mentioned that a delegation from the industry would meet with the Chief Minister soon, and he would work to ensure a smooth relationship between the film community and the government.
On December 4, during the stampede at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, Bhaskar’s wife tragically lost her life, while his eight-year-old son was hospitalized. Following the incident, the police filed a case against Allu Arjun, his security team, and the theater management under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Allu Arjun, named as the 11th accused, was arrested on December 13. However, the Telangana High Court granted him interim bail on the same day, and he was released the following morning.