Hyderabad: Tollywood’s highly anticipated film Devara is set to release on September 27th, and fans can’t wait. With advance bookings hitting 20,000 tickets sold per hour, the film is on track to set records. However, an unexpected incident occurred at the pre-release event, which had to be canceled due to overcrowding.
Overcrowding Leads to Event Cancellation
The pre-release event was scheduled to be held at the Novotel Convention Center, which can accommodate 5,500 people. However, a staggering 35,000 fans showed up, far exceeding the venue’s capacity. For safety reasons, the organizers had no choice but to cancel the event, disappointing many fans.
The chaos caused significant damage to the venue. Reports mention that the glass panels, elevators, doors, and around 5,000 chairs were damaged. Some frustrated fans threw chairs when the event was called off. The cost of replacing the damaged chairs alone is estimated at Rs 7 lakhs.
Financial Impact on Novotel
Apart from the damage, 40 room bookings were canceled as guests were unable to check in due to the crowd blocking the entrance. This resulted in an additional loss of 12 lakhs for Novotel. While the venue’s charges had been fully paid in advance, Novotel is now reportedly asking for Rs. 33 lakhs to cover the damages.
The Telangana government has approved additional benefit shows and given theaters the go-ahead to raise ticket prices slightly. Ticket prices in Hyderabad range from Rs. 150 to Rs. 295 in single-screen theaters and Rs. 410 to Rs. 500 in multiplexes.
