In my mind, the form of the actress Lalitha Chechi is still evident in that character in the movie ‘Vazhvemayam’. I still remember the character of Chechi in that movie who leads a family life where there is no peace in the neighboring house. I was a fourth or fifth grader that day. Chechi’s look was etched in my mind that day.
I have seen the mansion where Chechi lived in Chennai. The house has been demolished. How many times have I gone there asking for a chance. Chechi never came out. When I went there to see Bharathettan, I was looking to see if I might see Chechi at least once. But I have not seen Chechi. She lived as a housewife. From there, following Bharathettan’s disappearance, there is an effort they put in to raise those two children.
Lalitha Chechi is an icon of feminization. Without Bharathettan, without the help of a father, he raised a mole and a mole and brought them to where they needed to be. Chechi worked so hard and from a lot. But no one inquired how much was left on hand. So Chechi is not a woman who accepts anyone’s gift. He has suffered a lot in life. Lalithasree Chechi knows that better than I do.
The movie is bad but the heart they give to the character played by Lalitha Chechi … there is no artificiality in it. ‘Manichitrathazhu’ is a masterpiece in Malayalam. That being said, the performance of Innocent Chettan and Venu Chettan Lalitha Chechi in this film is only one. It is a performance with a period.
Chechi had come home when Kovid started two years ago. He came saying he wanted rice. ‘Suresh … I will come there and tell Radhika to take my rice! I want samparu ‘. It’s a great idea. Aranmula Ponnamma and my mother are the reason why this relationship is so strong. In the old days, actors used to say that pain is like losing a member of the household. Artists and artists like Lalitha Chechi have taken their place in every home through their characters. A top artist who has done each character with clear conviction! They are ingrained in the hearts of the people.
Chechi did not feel any difficulty while acting in the film ‘Varan Avsayandu’. Although everyone gave Chechi a special care, Chechi kept running back and forth. He was joking with Shobhana and everyone. When he came to the shoot and when he last came home, there was no sign of illness. I did not even look sick. I used to drink stew. It should not be eaten, though. When asked, he would say, ‘Oh, nothing … I’m going to take more medicine today, and then it’s gone.’
Chechi’s biography is not so beautiful. I’m upset. Some comments on social media when the Kerala government supported Chechi! I might not bear to see it. There was a sudden shift in one’s best colorful life. When the government wanted to do something as a person who has contributed so much to the Malayalam film world, the way society took it was very painful. That was the condition of Chechi’s life.
Lalitha Chechi has a unique acting style. That is the virtue of theater. Chechi was taught acting by gurus like Thoppilbhasi Asan. If KPAC Lalitha’s acting talent is an asset to Malayalam cinema and the audience, it is the quality of that school. This style of acting was called a basic lesson to the younger generation, including us, who came following him. I got to see how they improvise while acting with Lalitha Chechi. For the rest, the only thing that can be said is that the presence of a direct school has disappeared.