Hyderabad, Jun 8 (NDTV) : Telugu actress Aarthi Agarwal, who died of a cardiac arrest in New Jersey on June 6, was believed to have been battling severe breathing problems after a liposuction procedure that she had some six weeks ago reportedly went wrong. She was just 31.

"Aarthi was battling obesity and pulmonary illness. She was undergoing treatment and due to some complications, she suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away," Aarthi's manager told news agency IANS.

Aarthi, who had been acting since 2001, had led a troubled life, attempting suicide in 2005 by reportedly drinking cleaning fluid after an alleged failed relationship with co-star Tarun. In 2006, she was reportedly hospitalized in Hyderabad amid speculation of another suicide attempt.

An American of Indian origin, Aarthi made her debut in Hindi film Paagalpan in 2001, opposite the little known Karan Nath. She switched to making Southern language films beginning with Telugu movie Nuvvu Naaku Nachav, also in 2001. She appeared in some 25 films, opposite actors such as Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna, Venkatesh (opposite who she made her South debut), Ravi Teja, Mahesh Babu and NTR Jr.

In 2007, Aarthi married NRI software engineer Tasval Kumar, divorcing him in 2009.

Aarthi's last movie, Ranam 2, opened in theatres last Friday, just a day before she died.