Sexually abused television actress after offering her role in movie; actor Hemanth Kumar arrested

BENGALURU: Kannada actor and producer Hemanth Kumar has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing and threatening a television actress after offering her a role in a film. The Rajajinagar police have booked him on charges of sexual abuse, cheating and criminal intimidation.

According to the police complaint, the actress stated that Hemanth approached her in 2022 and offered her the heroine role in the film '3'. She also stated that he made her sign an agreement after offering her Rs 2 lakhs and gave her an advance payment of Rs 60,000.

However, the actress claimed that the film’s shoot was repeatedly delayed, during which Hemanth began pressuring her to wear revealing clothes and perform in obscene scenes. She further alleged that he misbehaved with her during the shoot and threatened her when she refused to comply. The situation was reportedly resolved temporarily following the intervention of the Film Chamber, allowing her to complete the shoot.

Despite this, Hemanth allegedly continued to harass and intimidate her. In her complaint, the actress also accused him of spiking her drink during a promotional event in Mumbai in 2023, filming her in an inebriated state, and later blackmailing her using the video.

The complaint further stated that Hemanth sent goons to threaten the actress and her mother, and posted edited, uncensored video clips from the film on social media without approval from the Censor Board. She also accused him of defamation and of sharing her private information publicly.