Apart from acting, Lalitha's voice modulation and dialogue delivery is so special that she did the iconic voice of Narayani, the unseen lover of Basheer in Adoor Gopalakrishnan's movie Mathilukal.
With a face that had an ocean of expressions and a voice that could immortalize the characters, KPAC Lalitha was a unique actor in Malayalam cinema. The actor, who has done over 500 films in a career spanning over five decades, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 73.
In her long and protracted career, Lalita has experimented with almost all genres and carved a special place for herself in the heart of every Malayalee cinema lover. Kadaktharayil Vetil K. Born to Ananthan Nair and Bhargavi Amma, her real name was Maheshwari Amma. She started working as a theater artist at the young age of 10, and soon became part of the KPAC (Kerala People's Art Club), a prominent left-wing theater group that propagated communist ideology. Lalitha appeared in famous plays including 'Ningal ene communistaki', 'Anubhavangal Palichkal' and 'Mooldhanam'.
Her debut in Malayalam cinema was in the 1970 film, Koothukudumbam, directed by KS Sethumathavan. She soon became an integral part of Malayalam cinema and a face that was loved and respected by the audience. He also presided over the Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy before his health deteriorated.
Early in her career, Lalita shared screen space with erstwhile superstars like Satyan, Prem Nazir and Madhu. Over the years, she started playing the role of a sister or mother, as a new generation of superstars appeared in Malayalam cinema, including Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi and Jayaram. It is difficult to separate Lalita from Malayalam cinema as we know it today. She remained active till the last and will be seen in upcoming Mammootty film Bhishmaparvam.
With his smooth and innocent dialogue delivery and nuanced acting, he explored the many shades of human emotion through his characters. She handled humor with ease and could go face to face with the industry's best comedians including Jagti Sreekumar and Innocent. He also gave memorable performances including Manichitrathazhu, Mathilukal and Kanalakkattu with Mohanlal and Mammootty. The iconic Adoor Gopalakrishnan film Mathilukal tells the tragic love story of a prisoner (Bashir, played by Mammootty) who befriends Narayani, a female prisoner on the other side of the prison wall. He never sees her face, but when they interact through the wall, and form a bond of comfort, companionship and love. Without even appearing on the screen even once, Lalita was able to convey myriad emotions and moods through her voice.
Narayani not only matches Bashir's wit and wit, his answers are crude, full of emotion and love. Such was the power of Lalita's voice that she is no longer a fictional character whose face we never see in the film, she is a real person who has been loved and lost. It is hard to imagine any other actor bringing such a character to life other than Lalita.
This is followed by the famous scene between Manichitrathazoo and his character, Bhasur Kunjamma, and Mohanlal's character Sunny. The acting of both the actors was so natural that one can only laugh remembering that scene. His performance in The Godfather, where he pits against the patriarch played by NN Pillai, remains special. And who can forget Omana in Kadalkatu, where she plays a joyful and innocent lover to Mammootty's character Nathu Narayanan. The strong and outspoken mother Pattalam Madhavi in Vietnam Colony, the romantic yet witty Kathu in Thenmavin Kombath, the strong-willed Madhavi Amma Sarai Peruvannapurthe Vishengal... the list is long and impressive.
Even when she played a mother in movies, she managed to rise beyond stereotypes, something that's hard to do when the character is often written off as a one-note. For example, take his role as Kunipennu in Venkalam. Apart from what we have come to expect from a 'mother's character' in cinema, the portrayal is nuanced and contrasted with colours. He portrayed Kunjipinu as perfection as a widow who clings to the old customs of polyandry, which was prevalent among some castes in Kerala till the late 19th century. Her role as Narayani in the 2000 film Shantam won her the National Award for Best Supporting Actress. Another powerful role is essayed by Mary Lalita in Mohanlal's Spadikam. As a woman caught between the ego clashes of her husband and son, she is suggestive and striking.
As the eternal mother of Malayalam cinema leaves for the great stage, she leaves a void in cinema and in the minds of Malayalam film lovers.