Rajesh, a Jenu Kuruba from Balle in H.D. Kote taluk who rose to fame after he walked away with a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh in a Kannada TV reality show Halli Hyda Pyateg Banda two years ago, died after he fell from the second floor of his house here on Sunday.
His film Jungle Jackie , which was completed last year and released only in September this year, met with indifferent response. Mr. Rajesh, however, had been offered a role in the film Love is Poison , the shooting for which was under way.
Mr. Rajesh was hospitalised here in July 2012 for mental breakdown. According to reports, he had displayed bouts of violence and had allegedly assaulted his wife sometime ago. Those acquainted with Mr. Rajesh said the pressure that came with being a celebrity must have taken a toll on him. There are also speculations that he was in depression since the last few days due to financial issues.
The sequence of events that led to his fall from the second floor of his house is shrouded in mystery, though it is suspected that Mr. Rajesh must have committed suicide. The Mysore South police told The Hindu that a case of unnatural death had been registered based on a complaint of Mr. Rajesh’s mother, Lakshmamma.
