Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule has been breaking box office records and is well on its way to becoming the fastest Indian film to gross Rs1,000 crore ($158 million).
Amid such buzz, however, actor Siddharth mocked huge fan gatherings at Pushpa 2 promotional events, reported NDTV.
Chaos had erupted in Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan on Nov 17, when a massive crowd turned up to catch a glimpse of Pushpa 2 actors Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna who were in the city for the promotion of the film.
In a viral video, he claimed that huge crowds don’t assure quality in India.
Going a step further, Siddharth compared the fanfare at Patna on Nov 17 to that of people gathering at a JCB (heavy construction vehicle) digging site.
“That’s all marketing. It’s not a big deal to gather a crowd in India. You bring a JCB for construction and crowds will gather automatically. So it’s not a big deal getting a crowd in Bihar,” he said.
“In India, there’s no connection between gathering a large crowd and quality. If that were the case, then all the political parties would be winning. In our days, these crowds used to be about getting biryani and a quarter packet (alcohol).”
Siddharth’s comments drew diverse reactions on the Internet.
One user wrote, “Siddharth always speaks facts,” while another said, “Siddharth’s mind is filled with hostility and bitterness... he hasn’t delivered a hit in recent times and has faced only failures.”
“Nobody knows Siddharth in the north – this is jealousy speaking,” said one user.
Another comment read: “Jealousy... such statements are not expected by celebrities like Siddharth. Show some grace as a senior actor, If you can’t show happiness at least be silent.”
During a recent press meet, Siddharth was questioned if he was nervous about his film Miss You getting overshadowed by Pushpa 2: The Rule. The film was set to be released on Nov 29 but was later pushed to Dec 13.
“There are many things that need to happen if my movie is to be in theatres in time,” he said.
“About the next movie, they should be worried, and that is not my problem. If the film is good, it will be in theatres. A good movie cannot be removed from theatres, at least not in this era where social media awareness is big.”
