Actor and dance choreographer Gayathri Raghuram, who became a household name soon after her stint in the reality TV show Bigg Boss Tamil, was booked for drunk driving on Saturday night by Abhiramapuram Traffic Control Police.
The actor was returning home from a party that was organised at a star hotel in MRC Nagar when her car was stopped by the Traffic Police at Sathya Studio around midnight.
When the actor’s breath analyser test proved to be positive, a case under Section 185 (driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs) of the Motor Vehicles Act was filed.
Speaking to TNM, a police officer who was present when the incident transpired says that Gayathri was extremely cooperative throughout the ordeal. “When crowd began gathering she requested that we drop her closer to her house and then take her documents, which we did. She can collect her documents after paying a fine of Rs 3500 at any mobile court,” he said.
The police officer also added that it was indeed unfortunate that certain local dailies have blown the incident out of proportions. “A few of them have reported that she argued with the police, detailing her life history, which is of course unnecessary,” he said.
Gayathri Raghuram, daughter of dance master Raghuram, made her film debut with Charlie Chaplin, starring alongside Prabhu Deva, in 2002. She has since starred in films like Style, Whistle and Vai Raja Vai.
Her first film as a choreographer was Jayam Kondaan in 2008 followed by Poi Solla Porom, Madrasapattinam (2010), Deiva Thirumagal (2013), Osthe (2011) and Anjaan (2014).
Gayathri’s conduct inside Bigg Boss house earned her severe criticism and she was evicted on day 56. Gayathri joined politics in 2014 when she was named member of BJP’s youth wing executive. In November 2015, Gayathri was appointed as the party’s secretary for arts in Tamil Nadu.