KOCHI: KPAC Lalitha was not just an actor for Keralites. She had etched a place in the hearts of millions through hundreds of roles that she had immortalised on silver screen.
She was a loving mother, an affectionate sister, a kind-hearted relative, or a caring neighbour for every Malayali. The emotional bond she shared with the audience was evident as thousands lined up outside Layam Auditorium in Tripunithura early on Wednesday morning.
Actors Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Dileep, Fahadh Faasil, Baburaj, Kavya Madhavan, Rachana Narayanankutty, directors B Unnikrishnan and Sibi Malayil and thousands from various walks of life gathered at the auditorium to pay tributes to the versatile actor.
Lalitha breathed her last at the apartment of her son and actor-director Sidhardh Bharathan at 10.45 pm on Tuesday. She had been undergoing treatment for liver ailments for the past few months. The mortal remains were placed at the auditorium in Tripunithura from 8 am to 11.30 am for the public to pay homage.
From Tripunithura, the mortal remains were taken in a procession to Thrissur. In Thrissur, the body was placed for the public to pay homage at Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Hall. Actor Innocent and director Sathyan Anthikad paid tributes to the actor at the Akademi hall. From Thrissur, the body was taken to Wadakkanchery where the last rites were performed at her residence.
"There is no replacement for the talent of KPAC Lalitha. Her death is an irreparable loss to every Malayali and the Malayalam film industry wrote actor Mohanlal in his Facebook post. The loss of KPAC Lalitha creates a big void in the Malayalam film industry," said director Sreekumaran Thampi. “She was a committed actor with a keen observation. She observed people and studied their character which helped her immortalise many characters,” he said.
“KPAC Lalitha was a versatile actor in the true sense. There is no replacement for her talent. Lalitha was not just an actor but a part of their lives for Keralites. The roles she immortalised are people we meet in everyday life,” said director Kamal.
Director Sibi Malayil said KPAC Lalitha was the best female actor in Malayalam industry and there could not be any replacement for her. “We have worked together in many movies. There is no comparison to the talent of Lalitha. Her death is an irreparable loss for Kerala,” said actor Innocent.