Eight-month pregnant Indian TV actor dies after ‘sudden’ heart attack

Doctors were able to save her premature child

Actor Dr Priya was in hospital for a routine check-up appointment on 31 October when she suffered the attack (Instagram/ Kishor Satya)

An Indian television actor who was eight-months pregnant died of a heart attack, her co-star said.

The actor, known in the industry as Dr Priya, was in hospital for a routine check-up on 31 October when she suffered a heart attack in the southern state of Kerala.

The doctors were able to save her premature baby who is now admitted in a neonatal intensive care unit, the actor’s co-star Kishor Satya said.

“One more unexpected death in the Malayalam (local language) television sector. Dr Priya died of cardiac arrest yesterday. She was eight months pregnant. The baby is in the Intensive Care Unit. There were no other health issues. Went to hospital for routine check up yesterday. She suddenly had a cardiac arrest there, [sic]” he said in a social media post.

He said the actor did not step out during her pregnancy in the past six months.

“The pain of husband Nanna as a loving partner with Priya without going anywhere for 6 months... Last night while going to the hospital, the sight of sadness rained in my mind. What will you say to comfort them,” he wrote.

He added: “How can we comfort the family of someone who died so young? She was just 35 years old. Hope her mother and husband will have the strength to withstand this loss.”

Mr Satya had worked with Dr Priya on a popular local show named Karuthamuthu.

The actor was also an established medical practitioner working at the PRS hospital in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram.

She had taken a break from acting after marrying and was currently pursuing a master’s degree.

She is the third actor from Kerala who died in the past couple of months. On Monday, popular Malayalam TV and film actress Renjusha Menon was found dead at her home in Thiruvananthapuram. In August, another popular actor Aparna P Nair was also found dead in her house, which the police officials said prima facie looked like death by suicide.