Pregnant TV Star Dr. Priya Dead at 35
The actress was eight months pregnant at the time of her death, with her newborn reportedly in the ICU.
Beloved Indian TV actress Dr. Priya has died at the age of 35. The actress, who was eight months pregnant, reportedly passed away of a heart attack on Tuesday, Oct. 31. Kishor Satya, who starred alongside the actress on the drama Karuthamuthu, broke the news of Dr. Priya's passing, adding that her newborn baby is currently in an ICU at a private hospital.
"Dr. Priya died of cardiac arrest yesterday. She was 8 months pregnant. The baby is in the ICU. There were no other health issues," Satya wrote in an Instagram post translated by NDTV. "The mother who is crying unable to accept the death of her only daughter. The pain of husband Nanna as a loving partner with Priya without going anywhere for 6 months. Last night while going to the hospital, the sight of sadness rained in my mind. What will you say to comfort them? Why did God show this cruelty to those innocent minds who are believers?"
Dr. Priya was a well-known Malayalam television actress who was best known for her role in Karuthamuthu. However, she reportedly took a break from acting after getting married. Dr. Priya also worked as a doctor and, according to local reports, was pursuing an MD and was also working at the PRS hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, in the southern state of Kerala.
The actress' passing followed the Monday, Oct. 30 death of Malayalam actress Renjusha Menon. Known for Sthree, Nizhalattam, and more, the actress was found dead in her home in Kerala, which she shared with her husband Manoj, a fellow actor. According to reports, Menon died by suicide. The actress, who is survived by her father C. G. Ravindranath and mother Umadevi, was reportedly going through severe financial difficulties at the time of her death. She was 35.
Two months prior, in late August, actor Aparna Nair died by suicide. Nair was found dead at her home in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram on Aug. 31. She was 33. The actress' family has accused Nair's husband Sanjith of abetment to suicide, alleging Nair was subjected to mental torture by her husband, per The Indian Express.