K. P. A. C. Lalitha
Maheshwari Amma, better known by her stage name K. P. A. C. Lalitha, was an Indian film and stage actress who worked primarily in Malyalam. She started her acting career with K. P. A. C., a theatre collective in Kayamkulam, Kerala. In a career spanning five decades, she starred in over 550 films.
K. P. A. C. Lalitha | |
|---|---|
Lalitha at Kerala sangeetha nadaka Academy Award night in Kollam (2019) | |
| Born | Maheshwari Amma 14 November 1947 |
| Died | 22 February 2022 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1968–2022 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2; including Sidharth Bharathan |
| Awards | National Film Awards (1990, 2000) |
Lalitha won two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress along with four Kerala State Film Awards. In 2009, she was honoured with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Filmfare Awards South. Lalitha latterly served as the chairperson of Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. She was married to the late Malayalam filmmaker Bharathan.
Early life
Lalitha was born as Maheshwari Amma in a Malayalam speaking family at Kayamkulam.[1] She was born to Kadaykatharayil Veettil K. Ananthan Nair and Bhargavi Amma,[2] as the eldest among five children; her four siblings were Indira, Babu, Rajan and Shyamala. She is the child born 5 years after her Parent's marriage. Her father was a photographer who was from Kayamkulam and mother was a housewife who was from Aranmula. She was her Father's pet while her Mother was very strict. She spent most of her childhood at Ramapuram near Kayamkulam. Her family migrated to Changanassery, Kottayam for her to join dance class. In a young age itself she had very much interest in dance.[3] 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.[4] Her first appearance on stage was in the play Geethayude Bali. She later joined K.P.A.C. (Kerala People's Arts Club), which was a prominent leftist drama troupe in Kerala. She was given the screen-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.[5]
Acting career
Her first movie was the film adaptation of Koottukudumbam directed by K. S. Sethumadhavan. In 1978 she married Bharathan, a noted Malayalam film director.[6] She took a break from film acting for sometime, doing only a few films.[2]
The second era of her career started with Kattathe Kilikkoodu (1983) directed by her husband. Her pairing with Innocent 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 Mathan and Sons, Pavam Pavam Rajakumaram. During this time, she did many critically acclaimed roles including those in Kattukuthira (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), and Aniyathipraavu (1997). She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Amaram (1991), a film directed by her husband Bharathan.[7][8]
In 1998, when her husband Bharathan died, she took a break for a few months, only to come back with an acclaimed performance in Sathyan Anthikkad directed Veendum Chila Veetukaryangal (1999). K.P.A.C. Lalitha's notable roles after that were in Shantham (2000), Life Is Beautiful (2000) and Valkannadi (2002). She won her second National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Shantham (2000), directed by Jayaraj.[2]
K.P.A.C. Lalitha acted in over 500 films in Malayalam cinema. Apart from Malayalam, she acted in some Tamil films including Kadhalukku Mariyadhai (1997), Maniratnam's Alai Payuthey (2000) and Kaatru Veliyidai (2017). Particularly, her performance in Tamil film Kadhalukku Mariyadhai as Shalini's mother won her critical acclaim.[2][9][10]
Personal life and death
Lalitha has a daughter Sreekutty and a son Sidharth who debuted as an actor in the movie Nammal, which was directed by Kamal. After a short career in acting, he chose a career in film direction. In 2012, he made his directorial debut with Nidra, which is the remake of 1984 film with the same title written and directed by his father Bharathan.[11]
She published an autobiography, titled Katha Thudarum (Story To Be Continued), which won the Cherukad Award in 2013.[12]
Lalitha died in Thrippunithura on 22 February 2022, at the age of 74.[13][14] She had been hospitalized since November 2021 due to multiple health issues, including liver ailment and diabetes.[15] Her mortal remains was taken to her home in Wadakkancherry, and was cremated with full state honours.
Filmography
Awards
This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2023) |
- 1990: Best Supporting Actress – Amaram[16]
- 2000: Best Supporting Actress – Shantham
- 1975: Second Best Actress – Neela Ponman, Onnum Lelle (1975)
- 1978: Second Best Actress – Aaravam
- 1990: Second Best Actress – Amaram
- 1991: Second Best Actress – Kadinjool Kalyanam, Godfather, Sandesam
- 2000: Best Supporting Actress – Shantham
- 2007: Best Supporting Actress – Thaniye, Nasrani, Aakasham
- 2011: Best Supporting Actress – Snehaveedu
- Other awards
- 2007: Premji Award[citation needed]
- 2009: Thoppil Bhasi Prathibha Award
- 2009: Annual Malayalam Movie Award (Dubai) for Best Outstanding Performances[17]
- 2010: Bharat Murali Award[citation needed]
- 2011: Bahadoor Award[18]
- 2011: Kambisseri Karunakaran Award[19]
- 2012: Thoppil Bhasi Prathibha Award
- 2013: MT Chandrasenan Award
- 2013: Cherukad Award for Literature for Autobiography "Katha Thudarum" (Writer)
- 2014: Kalaratna Fellowship by Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi
- 2014: Sangam Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2014:Vanithalokam Award
- 2015: Part-Ono Films- Samaadharanam-'Prashasthipathram'
- 2015: SIIMA Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2015: Vanitha Film Award – Lifetime Achievement
- 2015:TCR Bharath P.J.Antony Smaraka Abhinaya Prathibha Award
- 2015:IIFA Awards IIFA Utsavam - Performance in a Supporting Role (Female) - Nominated
- 2016: Parabrahma Chaithanya Award
- PK Rosy Award
- Devarajan Master Award
- Good Knight Film and Business Awards 2017
See also
References
- ^ "Did you know KPAC Lalitha's real name is Maheshwari Amma?". The Times of India. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d "LALITHA. (K.P.A.C.)". Association of Malayalam Movie Artists. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ asianetnews (31 May 2012). ""KPAC Lalitha"-On Record 31,May 2012 Part 1". Archived from the original on 12 December 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ [1] 7 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Staff Reporter (22 March 2016). "KPAC Lalitha opts out". The Hindu.
- ^ "KPAC Lalitha – Malayalam celebrities the stories and the gossips". Movies.deepthi.com. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "KPAC Lalitha draws flak". Deccan Chronicle. 16 October 2018.
- ^ "K P A C Lalitha – International Theatre Festival of Kerala, ITFoK".
- ^ "5 memorable Tamil films that KPAC Lalitha was part of". The Times of India. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
- ^ "Kadhaluku Mariyadhai actress KPAC Lalitha passed away". The Times of India. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
- ^ "Sidharth Bharathan blessed with a baby girl: Here's the picture of the newborn". The Times of India. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ . Dcbooks.com. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ "കെ.പി.എ.സി ലളിത അന്തരിച്ചു". Mathrubhumi. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ ലേഖകൻ, മാധ്യമം. "കെ.പി.എ.സി ലളിത അന്തരിച്ചു". Madhyamam (in Malayalam). Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ "KPAC Lalitha's mortal remains consigned to flames". OnManorama. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
- ^ (PDF). Iffi.nic.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- ^ . Moovyshoovy.com. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2015.
External links
- K. P. A. C. Lalitha at IMDb