Hero Uday Kiran commits suicide

Tragic end to a struggling career

• The young actor said to be depressed over drying up of chances
• Body to be kept at Film Chamber today from 10 am to 11.45 am
• Funeral will be performed at Erragadda Crematorium

Hyderabad: Giving a rude jolt to the film fraternity of Tollywood, young hero Uday Kiran (33) allegedly committed suicide at his flat in Srinagar Colony on Sunday night. The incident reportedly happened around midnight. He is survived by his wife Vishita.

Kiran debuted with Teja-directed ‘Chitram’ as the hero and went on to don the lead role in 19 films. He was also the youngest winner of the Filmfare best actor award. According to police, he was said to be alone in his flat at 402, Jyothi Homes, in Srinagar Colony on Sunday night. His wife was away in Manikonda to attend the birthday party of a friend. She grew suspicious as Kiran was not responding to her phone calls around 11 pm, and rushed to the flat only to find his body hanging from the ceiling in the gym.

With the help of neighbours, she rushed him to Jubilee Hills Apollo Hospital, where he was declared brought dead at around 1.15 am. According to sources, Uday called a few of his close friends and informed them about his intention to end his life. “Nakinka okka roju kuda bratakalani ledu,” (I don’t want to live even a single day more), he thus messaged some of his friends a few hours before the extreme step. He also sent an SMS – I love you too – to his wife.

ACP Ashok Kumar said that Uday was alone in his house when he committed suicide. Banjara Hills police booked a case under Section 174 (mysterious death) of CrPC and took up investigation.

Police said that the last call from Uday’s mobile was made to a person named Bhupal in Chennai.

Speaking to the media outside Apollo Hospital at Jubilee Hills, DCP (West) V Satyanarayana said: “As per available information, it appears to be a case of suicide and the actor was apparently suffering from depression over acute financial crisis. Remaining jobless since 2013 and lack of proper consideration from the film fraternity were said to be the reasons. He had been reportedly waiting for the last 20 days for a call from a Tamil producer regarding a project; they (Chennai people) were not attending to his calls. Uday used to continuously tell his wife he wanted to end his life and did not feel like living.”

“We haven’t found any suicide note. We recovered his cell phone and are conducting enquiries as per the call data. We will investigate the case from every possible angle. An autopsy would be carried out at Osmania Hospital and the procedure would be video-recorded,” said the DCP.

Teja, director of Uday Kiran’s first film ‘Chitram’, was the first to reach the hospital. He said he was shocked by the news. He also said that Uday Kiran had been undergoing depression for quite some time as he was not signed on by any producer.

Reacting to the untimely death, veteran actor Murali Mohan expressed his condolences and said, “I’m shocked to hear the news. He was such a warm and kind person. He was going through a bout of depression and I referred him to a psychiatrist and he was doing well. It is still hard to believe that he is not in our midst.”

According to reports, after the postmortem was conducted at NIMS none came forward to claim the body. Even his father, V V K Murthy, reached the hospital late. He was waiting for the arrival of his daughter from Kuwait.

Uday Kiran was not even on talking terms with his father for many years. His father had ruled out any scope for any financial problems for the actor. “He was not so weak-hearted to commit suicide. There must a very strong reason for him to end his life,” he said.

The body will be kept at AP Film Chamber office from 10 am to 11.45 am on Tuesday for people to pay their homage. Funerals will be conducted at ESI Errragadda Crematorium.