K. P. A. C. Lalitha | |
|---|---|
 Lalitha atKerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award night in Kollam (2019) | |
| Born | Maheshwari Amma (1947-03-10)10 March 1947 |
| Died | 22 February 2022(2022-02-22) (aged 74) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1968–2022 |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2; includingSidharth Bharathan |
| Awards | National Film Awards (1990, 2000) |
Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage nameK. P. A. C. Lalitha (10 March 1947 – 22 February 2022), was an Indian film and stage actress who worked primarily in theMalayalam film industry. Considered one of the greatest actresses in the history ofIndian Cinema, she started her acting career withKerala People's Arts Club, a theatre collective inKayamkulam, Kerala. In a career spanning five decades, she starred in over 550 films.
Lalitha has won twoNational Film Awards forBest Supporting Actress along with fourKerala State Film Awards. In 2009, she was honoured with theFilmfare Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009Filmfare Awards South. Lalitha latterly served as the chairperson ofKerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. She was married to the late Malayalam filmmakerBharathan.
Lalitha was born as Maheshwari Amma atAranmula,[1][2] in present dayPathanamthitta District, on 10 March 1947.[3][4][5] She was born to Kadaykatharayil Veettil AnanthanNair and Bhargavi Amma,[6] as the eldest among five children; her four siblings were Indira, Babu, Rajan and Shyamala. She is the child born five years after her parents' marriage. Her father was a photographer who was from Kayamkulam and mother was a housewife who was fromAranmula. She spent most of her childhood at Ramapuram nearKayamkulam.
Her family migrated toChanganassery, Kottayam for her to join dance class. In a young age itself she had very much interest in dance.[7] She learned to dance when she was a child under the guidance of Chellappan Pillai and then under Kalamandalam Gangadharan. She started acting in plays when she was 10 years old.[8]Her first appearance on stage was in the playGeethayude Bali. She later joinedKerala People's Arts Club (K. P. A. C.), which was a prominent leftist drama troupe inKerala. She was given the stage name Lalitha and later, when she started acting in movies, the tag K.P.A.C. was added to her screen-name to differentiate it from another actress known as Lalitha.[9]
Her first movie was the film adaptation ofKoottukudumbam directed byK. S. Sethumadhavan. In 1978 she marriedBharathan, a noted Malayalam film director.[10] She took a break from film acting for sometime, doing only a few films.[6]
The second era of her career started withKattathe Kilikkoodu (1983) directed by her husband. Her pairing withInnocent was hugely popular with the audience between 1986 and 2006 with successful films like Gajakesariyogam, Apporvam Chillar, Makkal Mahatmiyam, Shubha Yatra, My Dear Muthachan, Kannanum Polisum, Arjunan Pillaiyum Anju Makkalum, Injankaddai Mathai and Sons, Pavam Pavam Rajakumaram. During this time, she did many critically acclaimed roles including those inKattukuthira (1990),Sanmanassullavarkku Samadhanam (1986),Ponn Muttyidunna Tharavu (1988),Kottayam Kunjachan (1990),Vadakkunokkiyantram (1989),Innathe Program (1991),Dasharatham (1989),Kanalkkattu (1991),Venkalam (1993),Godfather (1991),Amaram (1991),Vietnam Colony (1993),Pavithram (1993),Manichitrathazhu (1994),Spadikam (1995), andAniyathipraavu (1997). She won theNational Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance inAmaram (1991), a film directed by her husbandBharathan.[11][12]
In 1998, when her husbandBharathan died, she took a break for a few months, only to come back with an acclaimed performance inSathyan Anthikkad directedVeendum Chila Veetukaryangal (1999). K.P.A.C. Lalitha's notable roles after that were inShantham (2000),Life Is Beautiful (2000) andValkannadi (2002). She won her secondNational Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role inShantham (2000), directed byJayaraj.[6]
K.P.A.C. Lalitha acted in over 500 films in Malayalam cinema. Apart from Malayalam, she acted in some Tamil films includingKadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997), Maniratnam'sAlai Payuthey (2000) andKaatru Veliyidai (2017). Particularly, her performance in Tamil filmKadhalukku Mariyadhai as Shalini's mother won her critical acclaim.[6][13][14]
Lalitha had a daughter Sreekutty and a sonSidharth who debuted as an actor in the movieNammal, which was directed byKamal. After a short career in acting, he chose a career in film direction. In 2012, he made his directorial debut withNidra, which is the remake of1984 film with the same title written and directed by his fatherBharathan.[15]
She published an autobiography, titledKatha Thudarum (Story To Be Continued), which won theCherukad Award in 2013.[16]
Lalitha died inThrippunithura on 22 February 2022, at the age of 74.[4][5] She had been hospitalised since November 2021 due to multiple health issues, including liver ailment and diabetes.[17] Her mortal remains were taken to her home in Wadakkancherry, and she was cremated with full state honours.
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