Anupama Parameswaran reveals ‘narcissistic abuse’ amid Dhruv Vikram split rumours: ‘Two years of pain’

For actor Anupama Parameswaran, a brief and enigmatic social media post was never intended as a casual message to her followers. It was, by her own account, the culmination of a long and painful process of understanding and recovery.

Known for her roles in Premam, Karthikeya 2, and Tillu Square, the actor has now opened up about what she describes as two years of "narcissistic abuse" in a previous relationship, though she has declined to name the individual involved. Her remarks, shared in a conversation with Dhanya Varma, follow weeks of speculation sparked by a cryptic Instagram post widely linked to rumours of a breakup with actor Dhruv Vikram.

Anupama had written: “You have to let go of the dead end to finally find your peace.”

She explained that the post was the result of a long process rather than an impulsive decision.

“I did not want to post some random picture. I wanted to post something when I was ready, when I actually healed. There was a journey of a girl who identified something really big about herself and life and who took her time to heal and voice something so important.”

The actor said the experience had affected her both physically and emotionally, adding: “There are two years of pain, physical and emotional destruction, behind that one post.”

She also acknowledged that the response to her post was mixed. While some people appeared to understand what she was trying to communicate, others criticised her or made assumptions about what had happened.

Rather than describe the relationship in conventional terms, Anupama used three characters from the 2005 Tamil film Anniyan to illustrate what she described as a repeated cycle of affection, cruelty and remorse.

“Many people are not aware of narcissistic abuse. One day he will be Remo. We will be showered with love and care and will possibly feel like the luckiest person alive. However, the next day he will be Anniyan. It will be the most brutal side, and he will not care a hoot about what is happening around him. The same person will play Ambi the next day, apologising to me for his mistakes and crying like a baby. He will promise to never repeat the mistakes, but then again the love cycle continues.”

The experience, she said, left her feeling diminished rather than transformed by the relationship, marked by significant weight loss and a constant, unsettling uncertainty about which version of her partner she might encounter on any given day.

She characterised public reactions to conversations about narcissistic abuse as falling into distinct categories: those who have lived it, or witnessed loved ones endure it; those largely unfamiliar with the concept beyond a passing awareness of the term; and those who dismiss such accounts as gendered narratives rooted in assumption rather than experience.

But it was a fourth group she said she hoped most to reach, individuals who have experienced these dynamics but have yet to recognise them for what they are. She identified this group as the one she considers most at risk.

Anupama's comments have inevitably drawn renewed attention to speculation surrounding her relationship with Dhruv Vikram.

Dating rumours involving the two actors surfaced in 2025 while they were working on Bison Kaalamaadan, Mari Selvaraj's sports drama. The speculation intensified after an unverified photograph that appeared to show the pair kissing circulated online.

Neither actor publicly confirmed the relationship, however, and neither has confirmed that they broke up.

Anupama began her film career with the 2015 Malayalam hit Premam, playing Mary George. She subsequently worked across Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada cinema, appearing in films including A Aa, Kodi, Shatamanam Bhavati, Karthikeya 2 and Tillu Square.

Her more recent credits include Dragon and Paradha, with Crazy Kalyanam, Bhogi and Mareechika among her upcoming projects.

Dhruv Vikram, meanwhile, has continued his own film career, including his work in Bison Kaalamaadan.

Despite the speculation surrounding their personal lives, neither Anupama nor Dhruv has publicly confirmed or denied that they were in a relationship.