Actor Shriram safe, under expert medical care; filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj shares family statement

Disconcerting news about Tamil actor Shriram Natarajan has been doing the rounds on social media for the past few days, with various speculations regarding his mental health floated by netizens. In the hope of putting all those to rest, his family has shared a statement he is being taken care of by expert medical professionals. It was shared by filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj on his social media handle 'X'. Lokesh worked with the actor, who played one of the main characters in the director's debut feature, Maanagaram.

Shriram, who attained popularity through films such as Vazhakku Enn 18/9, Onayum Aattukuttiyum, Irugapatru and the Vijay TV serial Kana Kaanum Kalaangal, fell off the radar for some unexplained reasons. When his followers and well-wishers started seeing troubling pictures and videos of himself on his Instagram page, aside from his nearly unrecognisable physical appearance and the fact that he has not responded to messages and calls, it led to the belief that his mental health has taken a hit. Some assumed he was on drugs.  

Recently, some fans tagged Lokesh and filmmaker Mysskin (who directed Onayum Aattukuttiyum) to check up on Shriram and do what was necessary to get him back to his earlier, healthier self.

In the statement now shared by Lokesh, Shriram's family members requested everyone to respect the actor's privacy.

Here's the complete statement: "We would like to inform all well-wishers, friends, and members of the media that actor Shriram is under expert medical care and is currently taking some time off from social media following his doctor's advice. We kindly request everyone to respect his need for privacy as he focuses on his recovery and well-being. Speculation and misinformation can be extremely distressing, and we urge all media platforms online and offline to refrain from spreading rumours or unverified updates about his health. We also appeal to media platforms to remove any objectionable content or interviews based on his current condition and to respect his personal space as he focuses on recovery. We also do not endorse any views expressed by certain individuals in interviews and completely deny the same. We thank you for your continued love, support, and understanding during this time!"

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