No more a hero’s welcome as Kannada actor Darshan returns to Ballari jail

BENGALURU: The last time Darshan strode into the Ballari Central Prison, he was accorded a hero's welcome by his fans there. Playing a cameo in the 2017 Kannada film 'Chowka', the actor had featured in a few scenes shot inside the jail. Many of the prison inmates at that time were his fans, and cheered for the star.
On Wednesday, there was no trace of that earlier fanfare, with Darshan scheduled to be shifted to the Ballari jail from Bengaluru Central Prison as a real-life murder accused.
Although the inmates were still excited at the prospect of seeing him up close, the real life hardships of a prison stay is staring the larger-than-life screen hero. Darshan was moved out of the Bengaluru jail after he was seen "chilling out" with a few rowdy-sheeters in a leaked photograph.
According to sources in Ballari prison, the actor knows first-hand how difficult life can be here, given the oppressive heat and the old structure of the correctional facility - issues that were flagged by the inmates when he used to interact with them during shooting breaks.
Fortunately for him, Darshan will be entering the prison close to Sept, when the temperatures aren't as high as what they usually are during peak summer, a senior police officer said. Moreover, he is likely to be provided with a fan in his high-security cell.
As news of Darshan being moved to Ballari prison spread, scores of fans started lining up near the jail from Tuesday midnight to catch a glimpse of the star. "I don't know whether Darshan has committed a crime or not; the court is there to decide that. For us, he is a hero, and I will not leave until I see him," said a fan from Siruguppa taluk
"Darshan shouldn't come to Ballari prison. It is the worst jail that can ever be," said another fan, Jayasheel, who has been lodged in the jail for six years. "They don't serve good food to common prisoners, but those who grease the palms of the staffers have access to everything, right from biryani to liquor and ganja," he added.