Should audio release events be downsized?

Big Telugu film audio functions of late have turned into events marked by huge gatherings, mayhem, chaos and a near-stampede like situation at the venue. Recent audio releases of 'Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu' in December and 'Mirchi' in January at Ramanaidu Cine Village, Nanakramguda, had a few thousands attending it.

While the former went off peacefully amidst minor stampedes and jostling of crowds, the latter ended prior to the closing time as Prabhas' fans jumped the barricades to get a dekho of him from close quarters, thus creating chaos.

The audio release of NTR-starrer 'Baadshah' on Sunday at the same venue was an example, which besides witnessing a stampede due to thousands flocking for seats at one go, resulted in the death of a fan, Rajendra Prasad aka Raju, from Warangal.

However, this is not just one odd case where a fan has lost his life in catching a glimpse of his matinee idol. There were cases earlier where fans, to grab the first day first show ticket of their star's films were left injured by the theatre staff or by police.

There were occasions where fans in mad rush, died on the first day queues itself or succumbed to electric shocks in the process of garlanding their star's flexis and cutouts.

The first day shows of Chiranjeevi's films like 'Indra' and 'Tagore' and NTR Jr's films like 'Simhadri' and 'Andhrawala' in the past witnessed fan's losing their lives.

Not just situations within the premises of the theatres, but fan deaths through accidents, as they were on their way to the theatres through tractors and other modes of transport, did made headlines. The deaths, however, were attributed to the release-mania of the movies.

'Even in olden days too, NTR and Krishna's first day shows, though few in numbers, were marked with fan deaths' says film historian Mamidi Harikrishna.

'During Chiranjeevi's heydays and NTR Jr's uprise, the number of deaths during such events were actually bandied about to showcase the craze and popularity the star enjoys,' he adds.

Lack of infrastructure, fans' excitement to get into the halls on the morning show itself to experience the sheer excitement of watching their star's movie before others and sidelining precautionary measures lead to such fatal mishaps.

However, police ensured that such theatres, in the long run, either issue advance bookings or upgrade their infrastructure (requisite queue systems, barricades etc) which the managements eventually heeded to. As a result, there were no deaths in the latter-half of last decade.

In case of 'Baadshah', it was clear that producer Bandla Ganesh and Shreyas Media, the event management firm, failed to comply with police's orders and issued passes in big numbers which paved way for such an unfortunate situation.

A senior police officer views, 'When the producer approached us for the permission of audio launch on Maha Shivaratri, we expressed apprehensions about the massive turnout and we were keen not to take a chance especially in wake of the twin Dilsukhnagar blasts.

Hence we gave the go-ahead after a week. We were guaranteed all the precautionary steps by the team associated with 'Baadshah', but what transpired on the night is bound to make us think twice before giving permission for such events.' However, from the sources who attended the audio, lapses from both private security and the police personnel resulted in the death of the fan.

Not the one rooting for such massive audio functions, Thammareddy Bharadwaja, Film Chamber President, informs, 'Such functions should not be in the public as untoward incidents are expected to happen because of the large chunk of fans. Audio functions can be held within close corridors and producers can get the same volume of publicity.'

When asked about the measures he plans to take to avoid similar situations, Thammareddy adds, 'We've been warning producers time and again not to conduct such functions. However, it's up to them and stars to restrain themselves from such dos in view of the fan base safety.'

NTR and Ganesh, though, as promised have given their lending hand to the family of deceased, it's high time that they ponder about what went wrong. Isn't the safety and security of the fans a primary responsibility of the star?

Admitted that publicity events and fan gatherings are crucial for a film these days, but isn't a person's life more valuable than the mega collections the movie makes or the hits the star scores?