Popular Kannada actor Darshan Thogudeepa, better known as Darshan, has been arrested by the police after his name was brought up in the murder of Renuka Swamy. The actor has been currently detained by the Bengaluru police along with his 12 associates and his girlfriend, actor Pavithra Gowda. The news of his arrest and his involvement in the murder has sent shockwaves in the film fraternity.
Actor Sanjjanaa Galrani has reacted to the news of Darshan’s arrest. The actors have shared the screen. Speaking to NDTV, Galrani spoke in defense of the actor. She called it a ‘black day’ for the film fraternity. She said, “This has been a black day for us yesterday, and it's been like a doomsday for the Kannada industry. People don't just watch his films, people are out here worshipping him, he is as big as that.”
In the same conversation, she urged people to respect the legal process and not jump to conclusions. She continued, “It's very early to jump the gun. When something like this happens with a celebrity, if there is a 5% allegation, it becomes a 500% allegation. We must respect the legal process and not jump to conclusions.”
Not just Galrani but multiple other celebrities have reacted to the arrest of Darshan. Director Ram Gopal Varma shared his two cents on his X (formerly known as Twitter) following the arrest. He wrote, “A star using one die-hard fan to kill another die-hard fan who was interfering in his personal life is a fit example of the bizarreness of the star worship syndrome... Fans wanting to order how their stars should run their lives is an unavoidable side effect of the same syndrome.”
Actor Divya Spandana hailed the police for taking swift action in the case. She wrote, “The police in Karnataka (with multiple salute emojis).”
Additionally, actor-turned-politician Nikhil Kumarswamy also commented on the development. He said that he would give a statement after the police concluded the investigation. The Times of India quoted him saying, “Investigation has started... I will respond after seeing what happens in the probe. No matter who we are in public life, people are watching us... Be it actors or politicians, we have to tread carefully. This can be said to everyone, and this is what I’m realizing.”
Recent reports reveal that three people have confessed to the murder, claiming they acted on the instructions of Darshan. Police are investigating whether the actor was directly involved in the murder or if he was part of a larger conspiracy.