Violent altercation at Pushpa 2 screening leaves man’s ear bitten off

A screening of Pushpa 2 at Kajal Talkies in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, turned violent when a dispute over a food bill escalated into a physical altercation, leaving a man’s ear bitten off. The December 10 incident occurred during the intermission when Shabbir Khan clashed with canteen staff, including Raju, Chandan, and MA Khan.

According to Indian media, the argument spiraled into violence, with one staff member biting Shabbir Khan’s ear, causing severe bleeding. Khan was taken to a nearby hospital, where he underwent minor surgery, receiving eight stitches.

The incident has drawn comparisons to a scene in Pushpa 2, where Allu Arjun’s character fights back by biting his captors. Shabbir Khan remarked on the influence of media, stating, “Films like Pushpa 2 encourage people to imitate gangster-like behavior.”

A complaint was lodged at Inderganj Police Station, and a case was registered under sections of the IPC, including 294 (obscene acts), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 34 (common intention).

This incident follows other controversies surrounding the film, including a tragic stampede at the Hyderabad premiere and actor Siddharth Suryanarayan’s remarks comparing the crowd to a JCB digging site. As the film breaks box office records, safety concerns and criticism continue to overshadow its success.