While KPAC Lalitha, the veteran Malayalam actor, who died in Kochi on Tuesday night, left a lasting impression in Malayalam cinema, she was also a familiar face for Tamil moviegoers. Through Tamil films such as Kaatru Veliyidai (2017), Alaipayuthey (2000) and Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997), the late actor carved a niche for herself in the industry.
Speaking to Silverscreen India, filmmaker Kiran, who assisted filmmaker Mani Ratnam, in Kaatru Veliyidai (starring Karthi and Aditi Rao Hydari), reminisced about working with Lalitha. “I used to hold her and help her walk from her room to the shooting spot on set, since she needed some support to walk. We used to call her achamma and hardly referred to her by her name. Even Mani sir used to address her the same way,” said Kiran. In the film, Lalitha played the role of Achamma, who travels along with Rao’s character, a doctor.
Adding that Lalitha came across as a person who looked ‘older than her she was’, Kiran said “I think she was 68 in 2016 when we shot the film if I am not wrong. But she appeared older than she was.”
Kiran added that on set, Lalitha mostly spoke in Malayalam and found it difficult to communicate in Tamil. “We used to figure out what she was saying in Malayalam. In fact, all of her scenes were shot in Malayalam. Her scenes were light-hearted ones and she really owned her character. We had shot a lot of scenes of her with Aditi and Delhi Ganesh sir, but some of them had to be trimmed in the film. They brought a lot of warmth and organic humour to their characters,” he said.
Kiran also lauded how Lalitha along with Delhi Ganesh improvised some of the scenes, on the spot, which brought a touch of ‘naturality’ to the characters both of them played.
“Alaipayuthey happens to be that one film with which I clearly associate her with Tamil films as well. Somewhere, somehow, while working together, she made some sort of impression on me, and that’s what matters to someone like me who was just starting out in the industry,” he said.
Lalitha was 74 and is survived by her son Sidharth and daughter Sreekutty.
