Twisha Sharma's co-star, director react as SIT probes actor's death in Bhopal

Actor-model Twisha Sharma's death has shocked colleagues from the film industry, even as police probe allegations of dowry harassment and abetment of suicide against her husband and mother-in-law.

In Short

• Twisha Sharma was found dead at her Bhopal residence
• Her co-star and director from the film industry reacted to the news
• Police registered a dowry harassment and abetment of suicide case

Actors and filmmakers who worked with Twisha Sharma have expressed shock over her death after the 33-year-old from Noida was found dead at her husband, lawyer Samarth Singh's house in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on May 12. Police have registered a case of dowry harassment and abetment of suicide against Samarth Singh and his mother, Giribala Singh, a retired judge, while a Special Investigation Team has been formed to examine the allegations.

Twisha, who was two months pregnant when she died, had worked in the Telugu film Mugguru Monagallu (2021) and the Hindi film Zara Sambhal Kay (2018) before moving into the corporate world. She had also won the title of Miss Pune during her modelling days.

Actors react to Twisha Sharma's death

Twisha's Mugguru Monagallu co-star Dheekshithh Shetty said he was shocked to hear of her death. The actor, who recently gained prominence for starring opposite Rashmika Mandanna in The Girlfriend (2025), said he remembered her as someone deeply committed to her work.

"It's very shocking news. I had always known her as this committed, hard-working girl who had a passion for whatever she was doing. She was so full of life, and it's shocking to know that she took her own life," the actor told Hindustan Times.

Dheekshithh Shetty said they had not stayed in touch and had last spoken four years ago. He said he was not even aware that she had got married.

"I didn't even know that she got married. We worked on that one film and then she went back to her place. She told me that she wanted to do her master's degree and acting was not up to the mark of what she was expecting it to be. Her brother was in the Army and she realised it wasn't her cup of tea, so she wanted to just go back and settle with her family," he added.

Mugguru Monagallu director Abhilash Reddy also recalled meeting Twisha's family at the time of the film's screening and said the news had come as a shock. "I met her parents on the day of our film's screening, and they were all such lovely people. It's such sad and shocking news of her passing," he shared.

What the investigation has found so far

While police are probing the case as a suspected suicide, Twisha's family has alleged foul play, claiming she was under severe distress in the months leading up to her death.

Following complaints from Twisha's family, police registered a case against her husband and mother-in-law under provisions related to dowry death and dowry harassment under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Meanwhile, Bhopal Police has also announced a cash reward of Rs 10,000 for any information leading to Samarth Singh's arrest.

A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was subsequently constituted to probe multiple angles in the case, including allegations of dowry harassment, physical assault and possible destruction of evidence after Twisha's death.

Twisha's family has also demanded a second post-mortem and a court-monitored investigation, alleging injury marks were found on her body.

The bail application filed by Giribala Singh on behalf of her son alleged that Twisha was a drug addict and had been undergoing psychiatric treatment and counselling. It further claimed that she would become irritable and develop trembling hands when she did not have access to narcotic substances.

The application also stated that Twisha travelled to Delhi by flight on April 17 and remained untraceable for around 12 hours before reaching her parents' house the next day. It further claimed that her behaviour towards her in-laws changed after she became pregnant.

What Twisha's family has alleged

Twisha's family also held a protest outside Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohav Yadav's residence on Sunday, demanding that her body undergo a fresh post-mortem examination at AIIMS Delhi.

During the protest, her father, Navnidhi Sharma, and brother claimed they were assured of fair action by officials from the Chief Minister's Office after meeting them. Sharma also warned that he would set himself on fire outside the Chief Minister's residence if justice was denied.

The family has further demanded that Twisha's body be preserved properly to facilitate the fresh post-mortem examination.

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