Actor helps actress with money, then ‘stalks’ her

Kannada actress Vijayalakshmi and actor Ravi Prakash have filed police complaints against each other over Rs 1 lakh that he had given to the former as a “humanitarian gesture” for her medical treatment.

Vijayalakshmi — whose notable films include ‘Jodi Hakki’ with Shivarajkumar, ‘Suryavamsha’ with Vishnuvardhan and ‘Nagamandala’ with Prakash Raj — claims that Prakash gave her the money on his own and that he was now “stalking and harassing” her. Prakash has accused Vijayalakshmi and her sister Usha Devi of cheating.

Vijayalakshmi was first treated at Mallya Hospital before being shifted to Jayadeva Hospital. She is now in another private hospital.

According to her, several actors and film producers, including Sudeep, had supported her after she appealed for financial help on social media.

“Sudeep sir gave us Rs 1 lakh. He wished me a speedy recovery and left. There were many others who came and lent their support, but this man (Ravi Prakash), whom I do not know at all, came and gave Rs 1 lakh. He is now constantly inquiring about my health and texting me and my sister,” she told DH.

Prakash even bought clothes and food, besides quilts for Vijayalakshmi’s mother and sister to sleep at the hospital. Vijayalakshmi found him “overbearing”.

Whenever Prakash called up to inquire about Vijayalakshmi’s health, Usha returned his phone calls, but her patience finally wore thin. She asked him to stay away from the family.

Things got so bad that Vijayalakshmi got herself discharged from Jayadeva hospital without telling Prakash about it.

But Prakash somehow learnt about it and called up Vijayalakshmi. Usha returned the call and warned of a police complaint if he didn’t stop bothering them. Prakash thought Vijayalakshmi was avoiding him as she didn’t want to return the money and had a heated argument with her sister.

On March 11, Vijayalakshmi filed a complaint of stalking against Prakash at the Tilaknagar police station. In a tit-for-tat reaction, Prakash filed a complaint of cheating against Vijayalakshmi and Usha at the Channamanekere Acchukattu police station.

KFCC secy intervenes

The secretary for the Karnataka Film Chambers of Commerce (KFCC) tried to mediate between the two, but Vijayalakshmi didn’t turn up.

“I helped her on humanitarian grounds, but she thought I was taking advantage of her,” Prakash told this newspaper.