Who Is Actress Prathyusha? Age, Movies, Career, Latest News
3 min readFeb 17, 2026 07:27 PM IST
More than two decades after Telugu actor Pratyusha’s untimely death shocked the film industry, the case has once again drawn attention. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court dismissed petitions filed by her mother, P. Sarojini Devi, and her former boyfriend Siddhartha Reddy.
Supreme Court directs Siddhartha Reddy to surrender
A bench comprising Justices Rajesh Bindal and Manmohan rejected Siddhartha Reddy’s plea challenging his conviction in connection with Pratyusha’s death. The court directed him to surrender within four weeks for abetment to suicide.
It also dismissed Sarojini Devi’s petition alleging foul play, including claims that her daughter had been raped and poisoned.
Also Read – Actress Pratyusha death: SC dismisses convict’s plea, directs him to surrender
“Murder by strangulation is ruled out. Two, overwhelming ocular and medical evidence proves death due to poisoning. Three, the offence of rape against the appellant accused is not made out. At the belated stage, it is difficult to allege that the cause of death was rape and strangulation,” the bench said, according to PTI.
Partyusha’s death
Pratyusha died in Hyderabad on February 24, 2002, at a time when her career was on the rise.
According to the case records, she and Siddhartha, had reportedly been in a relationship for six years. While Pratyusha’s mother had accepted their relationship, Reddy’s mother opposed the alliance, which allegedly led the couple to decide to take the extreme step.
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On February 23, 2002, the two reportedly drove out, bought a bottle of pesticide, mixed it with a soft drink, and consumed it. However, they soon reconsidered and decided they did not want to die.
They were later admitted to Care Hospital. While Siddhartha survived, Pratyusha succumbed despite medical treatment.
The incident quickly became one of the most widely discussed cases in the Telugu film industry.
In 2004, Siddhartha was convicted of abetment of suicide and sentenced to six years in prison along with a Rs 6,000 fine.
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In 2011, the Andhra Pradesh High Court reduced his sentence to two years — a decision that Sarojini Devi challenged in the Supreme Court.
Akash and Pratyusha in Idem Oorura Babu. (Express archive photo) *** Local Caption *** Film Star Akash and Pratyusha in ‘Idem Oorura babu’. Express archive photo
Who was Pratyusha?
Pratyusha was one of the most promising young actress of the late 1990s and early 2000s in the Telugu film industry.
Born in Bhuvanagiri, Telangana, she had aspired to become an actor from a young age. After she won a beauty contest in 1998, Pratyusha made her debut with Raayudu opposite Telugu superstar Mohan Babu and soon became a familiar face on screen.
Within two years, she had three Telugu films to her credit. She soon expanded into Tamil cinema when director-actor Thambi Ramaiah cast her opposite Murali in Manu Neethi (1999). The film made her a familiar face among Tamil audiences.
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Over the next few years, she appeared in around a dozen films across Telugu and Tamil cinema, including Sri Ramulayya, Samudram, Snehamante Idera and Kalusukovalani.
At just 20, her sudden death shocked her fans and brought an abrupt end to a career that was just beginning.
