Indira Kumar, Tamil TV Actor, Dies by Suicide in Chennai

I really hate writing these stories. I do. But here we are again.

Tamil television actor Indira Kumar was found dead at his friend’s residence in Chennai on February 19th. He was 25 years old. Police say he died by suicide.

According to reports, Kumar had gone to his friend’s house on Thursday night to watch a movie. He stayed over and went to sleep in a separate room. When he didn’t come out the next morning and wasn’t responding, his friends checked on him and found his body. They called police immediately.

No suicide note was found. The body has been sent for post-mortem and police are investigating.

What makes this even more heartbreaking — Kumar was a Sri Lankan Tamil who had been living in a refugee camp in Chennai. He was trying to make it in the Tamil film industry, reportedly struggling to find good opportunities despite working in several TV serials.

Friends and neighbors told India TV that he was going through a rough patch in his marriage and was frustrated with his career. He leaves behind a wife and a young son.

This is the second suicide in the Indian entertainment industry in just one week. Bollywood actor Sandeep Nahar, who appeared in MS Dhoni: The Untold Story and Kesari, was found dead in Mumbai on February 15th after posting a video about his struggles.

The Tamil industry specifically has been hit hard in recent months. Actress VJ Chitra died in December under similar circumstances. Actor Srivatsav also passed away recently.

I don’t know what else to say except that this keeps happening and something is clearly very wrong. The pressure, the uncertainty, the financial stress — its killing people. Literally.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help:

India:
– Sneha (Chennai): 044-24640050
– Aasra (Mumbai): 022-27546669
– Vandrevala Foundation: 1860-2662-345

US:
– National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
– Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

Rest in peace, Indira Kumar.