Kannada Actress Accuses Businessman of Stalking, Assault, and Extortion

According to a police complaint filed on October 17, 2025, a Kannada film actress has accused a businessman, Aravind Venkatesh Reddy, of stalking, harassment, defamation, and physical assault. The actress alleges that she met Aravind in 2022 during an event in Sri Lanka, and he initially befriended her but his behavior soon turned obsessive and threatening.

The actress claims Aravind tracked her movements, morphed her photographs on social media, threatened her family, and forced her to maintain a relationship with him against her wishes. Overwhelmed by the stress and fearing Aravind's threats that he would forcibly marry her, the actress tried to die by suicide in April 2024 by consuming tablets. She alleges that while she was hospitalized, Aravind and his associates assaulted her in the ICU when she said she wanted to end the relationship.

The actress also told the police that Aravind later demanded a crore, tracked her location, sent men to her parents' residence, and continued harassing her even after she filed complaints with the State Women's Commission and the Cyber Crime Police. The harassment had stopped for a brief period, but in August 2025, Aravind began sending the actress' friends and house owner anonymous letters, falsely accusing her of illicit relationships and engaging in illegal activities. The actress also claims someone secretly photographed her at the Bengaluru airport and used the images in defamatory letters.