Bangalore, Feb 14 (DHNS) : Caught in a debt trap, noted Kannada film producer and director Sai Prakash attempted to commit suicide in the City on Saturday. 

Sai Prakash, a resident of Vijayanagar, had failed to fullfil his financial commitments after his dream project ‘Devaru Kotta Tangi’, starring Shivaraj Kumar and Meera Jasmine failed to live up to the expectations and crashed at the box office.

Minutes before he could take the extreme step, Sai had sent an SMS to senior director Joe Simon. Here is the content of the last message ––– “Sairam, I got tension from some - and many for the losses of ‘Devaru Kotta Thangi’, I don’t want to live? Sorry, Saiprakash.”

He had consumed an overdose of different tablets and was brought to Vijaynagar Global Hospital on Saturday. 

Dr Biradar, medical director of the hospital said that Sai Prakash’s condition is stable and is being kept under 24 hours-observation in the ICU. 

“As soon as he arrived, we gave a stomach wash followed by antidotes.  He is responding to our questions but is unable to talk.  He is however out of danger,” said the doctor.

For the last few months, Sai was trying to wriggle out of the financial mess, said some of his friends in the film circle.

Sentimental movies

“He had carved a niche for himself for his sentimental touch and many of his movies were hits but the last movie Devaru Kotta Tangi pushed him too far. A fortnight back, he sold a property and remitted few lakhs but still, he was running short of Rs 2-3 crore. A few private banks and financier were troubling him and had even threatened him of dire consequences,” recalled a friend.

Joe Simon told that Sai had fixed up an appointment, “to meet us at our new office on West of Chord Road, Rajajinagar, around 1.30 pm. We were waiting for him and there was no sign of him but I got a text message on my mobile phone. Immediately, I tried contacting his son Sai, a poster designer and his wife Rajamma. After learning that he had popped in more than three combinations of tablets, we rushed to the hospital on Mysore Road.”

Wife collapses

His wife collapsed soon after entering the ICU and she was taken to the care unit.
“No doubt, he was haunted by financier but we all could have discussed and solved the problem,” Joe said.