KOCHI: KPAC Lalitha who was known for her strong character roles in Malayalam cinema is no more. She was 74. She breathed her last at the residence of her son Sidharth Bharathan, an upcoming filmmaker, at Tripunithura, on late Tuesday night.
Lalitha, who began her acting through the various drama troupes in the late 1960s carved a niche for herself through the KPAC, which was one of the most prominent drama troupes in Kerala then. She later laid her imprint in Malayalam cinema by portraying character roles in nearly 550 films and was accoladed at the national level twice and by the state government four times. She won the national award for the best-supporting actress through Amaram (1990), directed by Bharathan, and through Jayaraj's Shantham (2000).
Lalitha was also the chairperson of Kerala Lalita Kala Akademy. One of the legendary filmmakers of Malayalam's late Bharathan was her husband. She is also survived by her daughter Sreekutty.
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Born on February 25, 1947, as the eldest daughter of K Ananthan Nair and Bhargavi Amma at Ramapuram near Kayamkulam, Maheshwari Amma (her real name) completed her schooling at Changanassery Variathu school. The young Maheshwari showed glimpses of her acting prowess through the drama competitions at the inter-school level.
Maheshwari aka Lalitha made her acting debut through the drama 'Bali' of Changanassery Geeta Arts Club. The young Maheshwari immediately caught the attention of the then doyen of drama field S L Puram Sadanandan. After working with SL Puram, she reached KPAC, the famous drama troupe which carried the zeal of Communism. That was the major breath-through in her career. She was later part of the troupe's dramas including Swayambharam, Anubhavagal Palichakal, and Thulabharam. It was Thoppil Bhasi, the acharya of the Malayalam drama world, who rechristened her name as Lalitha.
Lalitha made her debut to Mollywood in 1970 through Udaya's Kootukudumbam in which she handled the same role she enacted in the drama. In 1978, she married Bharathan one of the most prominent filmmakers in the Indian film industry who gave a new dimension to parallel as well as commercial cinema.
Other than winning national accolades, the legendary actress has also won state awards for supporting actress through Neelaponman (1975), Aaravam (1978), Amaram, Kadinjool Kalyanam, Godfather (all in 1991).
Her last rites will be held on Wednesday with full state honours.