Pushpa 2 tragedy: Victim’s father struggling financially? Allu Arjun’s team clarifies amid allegations

Pushpa 2: The Rule was released in theatres on December 4 last year, and the celebrations turned tragic at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre. A stampede reportedly took place during Allu Arjun’s visit, leaving eight-year-old Sritej critically injured, while his mother, Revathi, succumbed to her injuries. Despite the public assurance of ₹2 crore as ex gratia, the boy’s father claims that life remains financially overwhelming a year later.

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Child’s Current Health and Mounting Medical Burden

Following severe neurological damage, young Sritej underwent 146 days of treatment at KIMS Hospital before being shifted to a neuro-rehabilitation facility. His father, Magudampalli Bhaskar, spoke to ABN and explained that his son now needs ₹90,000 every month for treatment, over and above miscellaneous costs.

According to him, the child cannot independently “eat, drink or even breathe properly on his own,” and he is managing both caregiving and family responsibilities single-handedly. Bhaskar also said that medical needs amount to nearly ₹1.25 lakh every month, forcing him to abandon his job at a gold shop.

Funds Confirmed but Insufficient, Claims Father

Bhaskar acknowledged that the actor’s family deposited ₹2 crore, but says the interest from it fails to cover the continuous medical expenditure. He shared that he approached Allu Arjun and his team for support since they had initially expressed willingness to oversee rehabilitation.

However, he alleges that he “received no response,” even as medical expenses escalated, including ₹3 lakh reportedly spent this year solely on surgeries on the child’s legs.

Allu Arjun’s Team Reacts to Allegations

When Hindustan Times reached out, a spokesperson representing Allu Arjun said they stand by the clarification given by producer Bunny Vas at a recent event. When questioned about rumours that the actor ignored the family's pleas, Vas responded, “This is not the stage, please. There are many pedda manushulu (respectable people) in between. Anything that we’re doing, we’re doing it through Dil Raju garu.”

He added that the family may reach out to the intermediaries whenever needed, while emphasising that Allu Arjun does not directly communicate with them.

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According to him, “Keeping aside whether we managed to satisfy them or not, we are following particular guidelines. We are determining where the fund should be allocated, including its use for medical purposes and other considerations. We put a system in place. If they are dissatisfied or the money isn’t enough, they can speak to the pedda manushulu. We will correct any issues that need attention. It’s not a direct thing,” he said.