TV actress who refused to quit acting for government job dies by suicide in Bengaluru

Nandini was the elder daughter of S Mahabaleshwar, a government school teacher who died in 2021, and G R Basavarajeshwari, also a government school teacher from Kotturu in Vijayanagara district.

A 26-year-old television actress allegedly died by suicide at a paying guest (PG) facility in Bengaluru on Monday. The police said they had found her diary entries expressing distress over family pressure to quit acting and accept a government job.

The woman, C M Nandini, was found dead in her room at Insta Living PG in Mylasandra, Kengeri, around 3.45 am, according to the police. Nandini was the elder daughter of S Mahabaleshwar, a government school teacher who died in 2021, and G R Basavarajeshwari, also a government school teacher from Kotturu in Vijayanagara district.

After completing her pre-university education in Ballari in 2018, she enrolled in a BE course at RR Institute in Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, but stopped attending college regularly and instead pursued acting training in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, the police said. Since 2019, she had worked in various Kannada television serials while living in paying guest facilities.

Following her father’s death, Nandini was offered a job on compassionate grounds at the taluk office in 2023. Against her family’s wishes, she refused the government job, insisting on pursuing her acting dreams. She moved to Insta Living PG in August 2025.

On December 28, Nandini visited her boyfriend Puneet’s home in the evening and returned to the PG facility around 11.23 pm, before locking herself in room 202. When Puneet couldn’t reach her by phone, he contacted PG manager Kumar and in-charge Kiran around 11.50 pm. They went to check on her but received no response. When they broke open the door, they discovered Nandini’s body in her room, according to the police.

Kiran immediately called the emergency helpline 112, and the Kengeri police arrived at the scene. Nandini was declared dead at the spot. Her mother was immediately informed, and she arrived with relatives around 8 am.

The police found entries in Nandini’s diary expressing distress over family pressure to accept the government job instead of pursuing acting. Her mother stated that no one was suspected of any role in her daughter’s death, adding that it was a suicide due to family conflict over career choices.

The police have registered a case of unnatural death and are investigating it.