BENGALURU: Kannada actor and Celebrity Cricket League player Dhruva Sharma (35) died at a hospital in the city on Tuesday two days after he attempted to end his life at his flat in Rajanukunte on Doddaballapur Road. Police said he had a dispute with his father and was also upset about huge losses incurred in business.
Dhruva was an established player for the Karnataka Bulldozers team in the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL). He is survived by his wife and two daughters. His upcoming film ‘Kichchu’, alongside Ragini Dwivedi, is directed by Pradeep Raj and is now in post-production stage.
Police said Sharma had consumed poison in a suicide bid on Saturday evening and was rushed to a private hospital in Hebbal. The doctors on Tuesday declared his death due to multiple organ failure. Dhruva’s father Dr Suresh runs a company which manufactures veterinary medicines. He is also a popular Kannada television producer and actor. Dhruva was taking care of the business too and was depressed due to work pressure and huge losses in the business. This led him to end his life, police said but added that he had not left behind any suicide note.
According to his father Suresh’s statement to the police, Dhruva consumed sleeping pills laced with poison and collapsed in the house. Suresh immediately rushed him to the hospital. Police officials said they tried to record Dhruva’s statement twice in the hospital but he remained unconscious.
Dhruva had frequent quarrels with his father over the business losses. He was also under treatment for work-related pressure for the last three months, police added.
Despite being hearing and speech impaired, Dhruva acted in a film titled ‘Snehanjali’ in 2006 which made its way to the Guinness Book of World Records and the Limca Book of Records. He essayed the role to perfection by lipsyncing the dialogues and songs.He played for six seasons of CCL for Karnataka Bulldozers which is captained by his close friend ‘Kiccha’ Sudeep. He also represented India in the Deaf Cricket World Cup in 2005.