A screening of Allu Arjun's 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' at Mumbai's Gaiety Galaxy theatre, came to an abrupt halt after an alleged pepper spray incident disrupted the audience.
According to IANS, a chaotic scene unfolded post-interval, where a gass, believed to be pepper spray was sprayed inside the cinema hall, forcing the show to be stopped for approximately 20 minutes. An unidentified individual allegedly sprayed pepper spray causing people present at the screening to cough profusely. Reports indicated others also complained of throat irritation, and nausea, with some visibly distressed and struggling to breathe. A video circulating online captures the commotion, showing the audience leaving their seats as they headed for the exit.
The news agency shared the clip with the caption, "During the film Pushpa 2: The Rule show at Gaiety Galaxy Theatre in Bandra, a substance was sprayed, causing people to cough and experience difficulty breathing."
Upon receiving the information, theatre staff immediately stopped the screening, and authorities were called to investigate the matter.
The excitement surrounding 'Pushpa 2: The Rule' has been overshadowed by controversy. While before the film's release, the high ticket prices caused a stir among a section of film enthusiasts. On the film's premiere date, tragedy struck when a woman lost her life in a stampede-like situation which broke out in theatre premises on the arrival of the lead actor Allu Arjun.
Police said there was no intimation from theatre management or the actor's team that they would be visiting the theatre. The theatre management also did not make any additional provisions regarding security to manage the crowd.
'Pushpa 2: The Rule', is off to a record-breaking start at the box office, amassing an estimated Rs 175.1 crore net at the domestic box office, with the gross collections reportedly shooting past the Rs 200 crore mark.
