Renowned South Indian actress Pushpalatha died on February 5 in Chennai at the age of 87 following a long illness. Pushpalatha enjoyed a notable career that spanned several decades, appearing in more than 100 films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada cinema.
She began her Tamil film career in 1958 with Senkkottai Singam and joined the Malayalam film industry in 1969 through Nurse, directed by Thikkurissi Sukumaran Nair.
During her career, she received acclaim for her roles in significant films including Sarada, Paar Magaley Paar, Naanum Oru Penn, Yarukku Sontham, Thaaye Unakkaga, Karpooram, Jeevanaamsam, Dharisanam, Kalyanaraman, Sakalakala Vallavan, Simla Special, and Puthu Vellam.
She appeared alongside iconic actors such as M.G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Rajinikanth, and Kamal Haasan.
A few of her most unforgettable roles feature performances in Rajinikanth’s Naan Adimai Illai and Kamal Haasan’s Kalyanaraman and Sakalakala Vallavan.
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In addition to her acting, Pushpalatha was a trained Bharatanatyam dancer and explored film production by producing two movies. In 1964, she emerged as the icon of Lux soap commercials, solidifying her visibility in the public sphere.
Her private life was deeply connected to the film industry as well. During the filming of Naanum Oru Penn, she developed feelings for actor and producer AVM Rajan, and they eventually tied the knot. The pair had two daughters, one of whom is Tamil actress Mahalakshmi.
Pushpalatha had her last presence on the silver screen in the 1999 movie Poovasam, directed by Sree Bharathi.
After retiring from films, she devoted her later years to spiritual pursuits and community service, choosing a life outside of the spotlight.
Her passing signifies the conclusion of an era, bequeathing a legacy that still motivates generations of performers and film enthusiasts.
