Noted Malayalam actor Bala, also known as Balakumar, was arrested by the Kadavanthra police on charges of assault and violating juvenile justice laws following a complaint filed by his ex-wife, singer Amrutha Suresh. According to a report by Manorama, Bala has been accused of outraging the modesty of a woman, with additional charges relating to the safety and well-being of their daughter.
Evidence from Bala’s Driver
A separate report by News9 reveals that Bala’s driver, who had been employed by the actor for three years, provided key evidence to support the claims of abuse. The driver stated that he had personally witnessed Bala assaulting Amrutha on multiple occasions, including in the presence of their 12-year-old daughter, Avantika, and other family members.
“Now that their relationship is over, I don’t want to hide anything. Bala had treated her brutally, and I was a witness to it. She had visible scars and had undergone treatment. I saw everything,” the driver wrote in a social media post, as reported by News9.
Conflict Over Daughter Avantika
In a social media dispute, Bala accused Amrutha of preventing him from seeing their daughter Avantika. However, Avantika responded with a video in which she accused her father of misbehaving with both her and her mother. Bala, in a subsequent video, stated that if his daughter no longer wished to meet him, he would refrain from having any further relationship with her.
Amrutha’s complaint also detailed emotional harm caused to their daughter through Bala’s online videos. She claimed that he insulted her publicly on social media and emotionally distressed their child through his posts. Both Bala and his manager were arrested at the actor’s Kochi residence.
Bala’s Film Industry Legacy
Bala comes from a prominent family in the Malayalam film industry. His grandfather owned Arunachala Studios, while his father directed over 350 films and documentaries. Bala’s brother, Siva, is a filmmaker and cinematographer. Bala made his acting debut in the 2002 Telugu film 2 Much and entered Tamil cinema the following year with Anbu. He gained the most recognition in Malayalam films, debuting in 2006 with Kalabham. His most recent film was Bad Boyz, released earlier this year.
The case continues to unfold as the investigation progresses.