Yash's much-awaited Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups pre-release event in Hyderabad took an unexpected turn on Sunday after part of the sound and lighting setup reportedly collapsed, leaving two students injured.
The promotional event was held at Malla Reddy University and witnessed a massive gathering of students and fans who had turned up to see the Kannada superstar. The incident reportedly occurred while Yash was addressing the audience.
According to reports, a sound box or floodlight box collapsed onto students who were standing near the stage. Two students were reportedly injured in the mishap, while a girl student allegedly lost consciousness. The injured students were taken to a nearby hospital in an ambulance.
The incident caused panic among attendees as people rushed to respond to the situation. Yash, who was on stage at the time, reportedly paused his speech after noticing the commotion and enquired about the condition of those affected through the organisers. After being informed that the situation was under control, he resumed his address.
Reports also suggested that police personnel had asked students to move away from the stage before the event to avoid overcrowding and reduce the possibility of a stampede. However, several students reportedly remained close to the stage despite the warnings.
The mishap has once again raised concerns over crowd management and safety arrangements at large-scale celebrity events, particularly those attended by thousands of fans and students.
Despite the disruption, Yash continued with the promotional event and addressed the gathering. The actor also spoke about cinema, dreams and the growing reach of Indian films, urging youngsters not to get caught up in regional divisions and to focus on their aspirations.
Toxic, directed by Geetu Mohandas, stars Yash alongside Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria. The film is backed by KVN Productions and is slated for a theatrical release on August 26.
