BENGALURU: Renowned Kannada movie director, 52-year-old Guruprasad was found dead in an apartment complex in Madanayakanahalli police limits on the outskirts of the city on Sunday. The decomposed body of the director was found hanging from the ceiling fan hook. He is suspected to have died by suicide.
He was staying in a flat at Tata New Haven apartment in Dasanapura for the last eight months. The incident came to light around 11 am on Sunday after a security guard, who sensed a foul smell, put out a message in the apartment WhatsApp group.
Initially, it was suspected that the smell was from the garbage. But later it was confirmed that it was from the director’s flat. One of the guards, using a ladder, checked the director’s flat and found him hanging. Guruprasad’s birthday was on November 2.
Guruprasad, who hailed from Kanakapura, directed five movies, including actor Jaggesh-starrer ‘Mata’. The director, who was arrested in a cheque-bounce case in January 2023, is suspected to have taken the extreme step due to financial issues. After a dispute with his first wife, he had married again. He was reportedly staying alone at the flat. The police suspect that he might have died a few days ago.
Police suspect director was depressed
“He is said to have repeatedly changed houses, unable to take pressure from money lenders. He was earlier staying in Basaveshwaranagar and from there he moved to another house in Kanakanapalya in Jayanagar. Before moving to the flat in Dasanapura, he was staying at a hotel. He is also suspected to have been addicted to alcohol. We suspect that he was depressed,” a police officer said.
Guruprasad is said to have sent a WhatsApp message to his friends on a ‘Friends Forum’ on October 26, stating that he was taking rest due to health issues and would start the film-related work after Deepavali.
The body was handed over to his family members after the postmortem at Victoria Hospital mortuary. The final rites were conducted at the Wilson Garden cemetery. The Madanayakanahalli police have taken up an unnatural death case and are further investigating.
If you have suicidal thoughts or need emotional support, call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)