Kannada TV series director Vinod Dhondale dies by suicide at 49 in Bengaluru: Report

Popular Kannada TV director Vinod Dhondale was discovered hanging at his home in Nagarabhavi, Bengaluru, on Saturday morning.

Updated on: Jul 21, 2024, 17:03:30 IST

By Yamini C S

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Kannada television director and producer Vinod Dhondale was discovered dead at his residence in Nagarabhavi, West Bengaluru, on Saturday morning. Authorities arrived at the scene after Dhondale's wife alerted them to the tragic discovery of his body hanging at around 11:30 am, the Deccan Herald reported.

Vinod Dhondale had been facing financial difficulties related to his film project, Ashok Blade. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

He was 49 years old, another report said. Known for his popular Kannada TV serials like Karimani and Gange Gowri, Dhondale was on the verge of making his cinematic debut with a new film. After his success on television, he was excited about his transition to the big screen, the report stated.

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A death note was also found at the scene, though investigators are yet to confirm its authenticity as being penned by Dhondale.

The incident occurred within the Chandra Layout police station limits and cops have classified the case as a suicide and have filed an unnatural death report. An officer from the station spoke to reporters and revealed that Dhondale had been facing financial difficulties related to his film project, Ashok Blade.

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Having invested a substantial amount of money into the film, which was approximately 70 per cent completed, Dhondale was reportedly struggling with a budget that had spiralled beyond initial estimates.

He had taken out a significant bank loan for the film, using his property as collateral, and was unable to meet the repayment obligations, the officer told the publication, suggesting that these financial pressures might have contributed to his extreme and tragic decision.

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Further investigation is ongoing as the police continue to piece together the circumstances leading up to Dhondale’s death, and more details are awaited shortly.

(If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secundrabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000, ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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