Allu Arjun's Decision to Skip Thandel Event: Here’s What Happened

The pre-release event for the upcoming film Thandel, starring Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi, was held in Hyderabad on Sunday. Directed by Chandoo Mondeti and produced by Bunny Vasu under the banner of Geetha Arts, with Allu Aravind presenting the film, Tandel is set to release on February 7. As part of the promotional activities, the film’s team organized events in Visakhapatnam, Chennai, and Mumbai before hosting the grand pre-release function in Hyderabad.

Initially, it was widely publicized that Allu Arjun would be the chief guest for the event, with an official poster announcing his attendance. However, due to last-minute developments, the actor did not attend.

Sources indicate that multiple factors contributed to Allu Arjun’s absence. Following the recent stampede incident at Sandhya Theatre, where a case was registered against him leading to his brief arrest and subsequent bail, the actor reportedly decided to stay away from public functions for some time.

Despite this, producer Bunny Vasu, a close friend of Allu Arjun, persuaded him to attend the Thandel event, as the film was said to be lacking strong pre-release buzz. To accommodate Allu Arjun’s presence, the event date was even rescheduled. 

Additionally, since the police denied permission for a large-scale public gathering, the organizers sought approval for a restricted indoor event with a limited audience comprising media and the film’s team, which the authorities granted. However, reports suggest that the police specifically advised Allu Arjun against attending.

Compounding the situation, there was confusion over the venue, with some media reports stating that the event would take place at Annapurna Studios. This led to a large number of fans gathering at the location, despite a lack of police security at the venue.

Furthermore, on the same day, KIMS Hospital released a health bulletin regarding Sriteja, a victim of the Sandhya Theatre stampede, stating that there was no improvement in his condition. Given these circumstances, Allu Arjun ultimately decided to skip the Tandel pre-release event.