Jayashree, who ‘killed herself’, was cheerful on sets

Actor, model and ‘Bigg Boss Kannada Season 3’ contestant Jayashree Ramaiah was found hanging from the ceiling of her room at a rehabilitation centre in Bengaluru on Monday. Battling depression, she was undergoing treatment. 

Her occasional posts on Facebook about her desire to end it all had alarmed her friends. Well-wishers from the Kannada film industry, including Kiccha Sudeep, had often tried to talk her out of her lows. It is said she was dejected because of her unsuccessful relationships.

Actors share their thoughts about her.

Life is precious 

Chandan Kumar, actor and second runner-up at ‘Bigg Boss season 3’, says Jayashree used to poke fun at fellow contestant Hucchha Venkat, saying he needed treatment, but had never come across as one who would succumb to depression. “I did not meet her after the show. She was a jovial person and there was never a dull moment when she was around,” he says.

She was going through rough patches

Sunethra Nagaraaj (RJ Nethra), who was also in ‘Bigg Boss Season 3’ says she met Jayashree for the last time two years ago. “She was someone who had a lot of dreams and aspirations to become a big actor. There was a crazy and quirky side to her that we got to see when we spent a lot of time in the house. She was going through a rough patch both on the personal and professional fronts because things weren’t panning out the way she expected them to,” says Sunethra. She also says she had always been there for Jayashree when she was in need. “I just wish she had got a better grip on her life,” she adds.

A good dancer 

Indrajit Lankesh met Jayashree on the sets of ‘Majaa Talkies’ where the contestants of ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’ came to promote their show. “I heard that she was going through depression and had attempted suicide many times. But she came across as jovial and she was dancing and so full of life on the sets,” says Indrajit. He adds, “Youngsters come into the film industry for fame, money, and glamour, but if you don’t enjoy the art form then things can get tough.”

She was a selfless person

Ashvithi Shetty, actor and a close friend of Jayashree, says she used to have regular conversations with her, although she last met her in person in 2016. “She was a selfless person and lived to make others happy, but little did I know that she was carrying a lot of baggage in her own life. She shared little and gave people the impression that things were all right. There were times when I would counsel her to take up activities that would help her ward off negativity.” She must have gone through a lot, says Ashvithi.

A thorough professional 

Imran Sardhariya, director of ‘Uppu Huli Khara,’ in which Jayshree made her debut as an actor, says, “She was an enterprising person. Our team still can’t digest the news that she is no more. She was a thorough professional and did full justice to her role. I never knew that she was depressed.”