CHENNAI: Yesteryear actor Jyothi Lakshmi, best known for dance numbers, passed away here on Tuesday due to cancer. A trained dancer, she made her acting debut in MGR-Saroja Devi-starrer Periya Idathu Penn in 1963, and went on to work in more than 300 movies across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam industries.
Her younger sister Jayamalini entered the scene, when she took a sabbatical for her delivery. One may recall how directors used to rope in her for item numbers during 70s and 80s, especially penned for her. Jyothi Lakshmi has shared screen space with actors like MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, Jayashankar and many others. In fact, filmmaker-producer-screenwriter Puri Jagannath helmed a film titled 'Jyothi Lakshmi', which had Charmme Kaur in the lead role. Though the film was rumoured to have been based on the actress's life, it was not so. But such was her popularity.
Meanwhile, film personalities have started expressing their condolence messages on the social media. Director Adhik Ravichandran wrote, "Jyothi Lakshmi, who acted in the recent Trisha Illana Nayanthara passed away. Very sad. RIP ma'am. (sic)." Vishal's tweet reads, "Jyothi Lakshmi passed away. She succumbed to cancer. May her soul RIP. You'll be remembered forever. Deepest condolences to her family (sic)."