RIP KPAC Lalitha: Twitterati call her an 'irreplaceable' actor in Malayalam cinema

Several netizens expressed their condolences on social media after learning of the death of renowned Malayalam actor KPAC Lalitha. She passed away on Tuesday at the age of 74 in a hospital in Kochi, Kerala. 

One of the fans called it a "great loss to Malayalam cinema". Another one wrote, "You'll be missed, but your vibrant and touching characters you gave life to will live forever on our mini screens."

One fan addressed her as a "trailblazer" and wrote that she is an irreplaceable artist in Malayalam cinema.

Late KPAC Lalitha featured in nearly 550 Malayalam and Tamil films during her five-decade career. For the past five years, she has served as the Chairperson of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy.

The performer, who was born Maheswari Amma in Kayamkulam, Alappuzha, had joined the K.P.A.C (Kerala People's Arts Club), a well-known theatre troupe in Kerala.

She was given the screen name Lalitha, and when she started starring in movies, she was given the tag K.P.A.C.

She has received four Kerala State Film Awards and two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress. In 1999, she received a national award for her performance in Amaram, and in 2000, she received a national award for her performance in Shantham.

She won Kerala State Film Awards in the Second Best Actress categories for films namely Neela Ponman, Onnum Lelle, Aaravam, Amaram, Kadinjool Kalyanam, Godfather, and Sandhesam.

Her husband was Bharathan, the late Malayalam film director. Her daughter Sreekutty Bharathan and son Siddharth, a Malayalam director and actor, survive her.