Kannada director attempts suicide

Bangalore, Feb 14 (IANS) Kannada film director Sai Prakash, who is credited with many hit films, attempted to commit suicide Saturday by consuming 20 sleeping pills. Doctors attending on him said his condition is now stable.

Raju, a doctor at the Global Hospitals, told reporters that Sai Prakash is responding to the treatment and has also shown visible signs of improvement. He said the director, however, has to rermain under observation till Sunday morning.

Surprisingly, Sai Prakash, before attempting suicide, had sent SMSes to many film personalities saying he had lost interest in life and was subjected to severe pressure on account of financial troubles.

One message sent from his mobile to Kannada film producer-director Joe Simon also indicated that producer-cum-financier Thyagaraju was pressurising Sai Prakash to repay the money due to him.

Thyagaraju was the distributor for Sai Prakash's film "Devaru Kotta Thangi".

However, talking to IANS, Thyagaraju said that he had not pressurised Sai Prakash, but had only demanded back the money back to him because he was under pressure to release his own film "Ullasa Uthsaaha" starring Ganesh.

"I have also suffered losses on account of distributing some films. I had financed Sai Prakash for releasing his film. Sai Prakash had even promised to return the money within a few days," said Thyagaraju.

Simon said that Sai Prakash had mortgaged his house and five other properties to pay off his debts.

A number of film personalities including Shivaraj Kumar, who had starred in many films of Sai Prakash, Jayamala, president of the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, veteran producer K. Manju, actor Nag Kiran, actor-director Sadhu Kokila, lyricist Nagendra Prasad, writer Malavalli Sai Krishna and producer S.R. Govindoo rushed to the hospital to enquire about Sai Prakash's condition.

Jayamala later told the media that she spoke to Sai Prakash and found him to be responding to the treatment. She said that producers should realise that suicide attempts will not solve the problems.

Sai Prakash's many films like "Anna Thangi", "Golmal Radhakrishna", "Kiththoor Huli", "Tavarige Baa Thangi" turned out to be blockbusters.

Sai Prakash had suffered huge losses after he produced and directed Shivaraj Kumar-Meera Jasmine-starrer "Devaru Kotta Thangi" that was released last November.