CHENNAI: Shobana, the TV artiste, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at her house in Kotturpuram on Monday morning. After initial inquiries, police claimed she was unable to handle a deteriorating health condition. Police said Shobana, 31, who had acted against comedian Vadivelu in a few Tamil films, including ‘Chillunu Oru Kaadhal’, and also shared the screen with comedian Venniradai Moorthy in a TV comedy show ‘Meendum Meendum Sirippu’, was found hanging at her house in Housing Board Colony, Kotturpuram, on the morning of January 10.
Police said Shobana had been suffering from chikungunya for the past four months and had allegedly hung herself after her mother left for work this morning. Shobana’s neighbours, however, said she could have taken the extreme step after a love affair with a man failed. Kotturpuram police are investigating.
Though the actual reason for her alleged suicide is still under investigation, television and film artiste Shobana’s death on Monday has brought to sharp focus once again the emotional trauma actors in showbiz undergo.
It’s an irony that the life of the ‘Meendum Meendum Sirippu’ actress was not as enjoyable as her comic roles. She was reportedly in a state of depression for the past few months and ended her life when she was alone at home. The TV and film industry is replete with instances of popular female artistes choosing to end lives as an escape route from emotional turmoil.
From the 1970s, several cases abound of actress suicides, like Lakshmishree (1979), Shoba (1980), Phataphat Jayalakshmi (1980), Silk Smitha (1996), Viji (2001), and Pratyusha and Monal (2002). Almost all of them ended their lives by hanging.
In the 2000s, with the soaring popularity of TV, the number of artistes committing suicide too shot up. Shalini S Kumar, Vaishnavi, Shraddha Vishwanath and V Charukesh were some of the small screen actors who chose to end their lives over alleged emotional turmoil.
The spate of suicides had forced the film and TV industry heads to later organize counselling sessions for artistes.
All that did not prevent Shobana from allegedly killing herself. She has been part of several films like ‘Nagaram’, ‘Suraa’, and her most popular role was as Vadivelu’s wife in ‘Sillennu Oru Kaadhal’.
Tragic Death Wishes
Shobana:
Allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at her Koptturpuram house in
2011 because of poor health.
Pratyusha:
Consumed poison along with her friend who had been booked for abetment to suicide in 2002.
Lakshmishree:
Made a mark as Rajinikanth’s sister in ‘Dharmayudham’. Found hanging in 1979. After inquest, it was ruled as suicide.
'Silk' Smitha:
Found dead in her Chennai apartment in 1996. Financial problems, disillusionment in love and an alcohol dependency were the suspected reasons.
Jayalakshmi:
Called ‘Fatafut’ Jayalakshmi, she died after allegedly consuming sleeping pills in 1980. Rumours of frustration with family life blamed for the suicide.
Monal:
Sister of actress Simran, she was found hanging in her room in 2002. Failed love affair was said to be the reason behind the move.
Shoba:
Found hanging from the ceiling in 1980 when she was barely 18.
Viji:
Unable to marry the man she loved, she allegedly hung herself from a ceiling fan at her Mahabalipuram apartment.