The South entertainment industry witnessed a heavily dramatic scene on Saturday when Tamil actor Ravi Mohan held an emotional press conference in Chennai, where he announced a complete hiatus from his acting and other planned producing and directorial ventures unless he is granted an official divorce from his estranged wife Aarthi. The actor said that he had been keeping quiet for a while, but couldn't bear the emotional turmoil anymore.
“People think Ravi Mohan, aka Jayam Ravi, is a soft person. Not anymore. Enough is enough. I stayed silent all these days. Now, the time has come,” quoted DTNext.
During the media interaction, he tearfully cited severe psychological distress, intense online cyberbullying, and restricted access to his children. He also drew attention by pointing to severe marital discord and alleging interference from a third party, expressing his intention to focus his energies entirely on settling his legal and personal crises.
“Until my divorce comes through, I will not act," he said. "They are not letting me meet my sons. Bodyguards have to accompany my sons. I entered marriage against the will of my parents. I am paying the price now for doing that. In fact, I slit my wrists and still showed up at the shoot the next day. That has been my commitment. But today, I’m unable to focus on my creative pursuits. In the name of feminism, some people are taking undue advantage. I have done films on feminism. And I have been raised well by my parents.”
The relationship troubles between Ravi Mohan (Jayam Ravi) and Aarti Ravi have escalated into a highly public and complex dispute. The core issues stem from deeply conflicting narratives regarding financial control, personal autonomy, and the involvement of outside individuals. Ravi had alleged that he was stripped of his financial autonomy, adding that he lacked a separate bank account despite a thriving career and was reduced to being a mere "provider" saddled with heavy loans.
At the press meet, the actor also mentioned a troublemaker whom he referred to as a "three-letter actress" or "Idly nadigai (actress)."
The press conference accompanies rumours circulated regarding Ravi's close relationship with singer and spiritual therapist Kenishaa (Keneeshaa) Francis. In an Instagram post, she announced that she was leaving Chennai and said she was constantly being harassed online by bullies. She clarified that she is not the reason behind Ravi Mohan's family issues and that he is perfectly capable of handling them.