Pictures of Monal
The suicide mania, which consumed the life of the 21-year-old Monal, came as a shock to the Tamil Film Industry on "Puthandu Day". The mortal remains after post-mortem was handed over to her mother Veena who left for Mumbai. The burial is expected to take place at Mumbai, once her sister Simran comes back from Toronto in Canada where she was shooting the songs for Panchatanthiram. >Monal is the ninth actress based in Chennai to commit suicide, in the last 20 years. Those who have committed suicide are, 'Fatafat' Jayalakshmi, Shoba, Lakshmisri, Kalpana, Vijayasree, Kumari Padmini, Viji, Silk Smita and recently Pratyuksha. Like all others who have committed suicide before her, Monal too was living under pressure and was unhappy with her love life and parental opposition. Her mother Veena was forcing her to compromise more than usual, for better roles and added to that she had fallen out with her lover and dancer Prassana (brother of dance master Kala).
Monal had met Prasanna in one of those numerous stage shows and slowly fell in love with him as he gave her moral support and lots of love and affection. She was able to open out to him and when her career did not take off well in films she wanted to settle down with him. But Prasanna was not very keen to be tied down and their love seemed to be doomed. With her lover looking out for an exit route, things got worse for Monal, who finally succumbed to the lure of suicide. Said an upcoming actress who was close to her-" Monal was so cheerful the day before she died, but who knew what lay behind that persona"?