Aachi who made us all laugh
Actress had signed three films that were to go on the floors soon
Chennai: The ace comedienne, who had survived rumours of her death many times in the most recent past, breathed her around midnight on Saturday. The intrepid cinema actor not only regularly rubbished reports of her death but also said she had signed three films that were to go on the floors soon.
Even as recently as a week ago, Manorama was present at a function got up by the Tamil Film Journalists Association. to honour veteran film journalists. She had been the first to reach the venue in a wheelchair that day and her eyes glowed as she saw members of the film writing fraternity, flashing hearty smiles at everyone.
As the news of Aachi’s demise broke in the early hours on Sunday, people started gathering near the immensely talented actress’ house in T. Nagar. Sarath Kumar and
Radhikaa were the first to reach the actor’s residence. And then the entire Tamil film industry had began turning up to pay their last respects.
Aachi’s ardent fans and common people from far and near thronged the area to have a last glimpse of the legend’s mortal remains. Despite police protection, the crowd was getting to be unmanageable. The street was narrow and grieving fans who crowded the place may have felt they had lost someone from their own household. Occasional wails were heard as the body was shifted to a flower-bedecked truck to be taken in a procession through arterial roads to reach the cremation ground in Mylapore.
Vadivelu, Ponvannan, Kovai Sarala and Manobala were among those who accompanied the body. Hundreds of people were waiting vantage points like treetops and rooftops of high-rise buildings to get a glimpse of the late actress who had entertained them over the last five decades. Many fans offered wreaths and garlands to be placed on the cortege.
Chief Minster Jayalalithaa, M.Karunanidhi, Tamizhisai Soundarrajan and Vijayakanth were among leaders who paid their last respects and consoled the bereaved family.
Artistes Sivakumar, Karthi, Vishal, Kushboo, Sundar C, Vijayakumar, Goundamani, Rajinikanth, Kovai Sarala, Vijay, Ajith, Simbu, Vairamuth, Kamal Haasan, Bhagyaraj, Poornima, Lakshmi, Parthiban , Senthil, Vivek, Prabhu, Sivakarthikeyan, Manobala, MS Bhaskar were among several other artistes who gathered to bid good bye to a colleague who had acted with them in many films.
The cremation was to have taken place at Kannamapet situated near the actress’ house but later it was shifted to Mylapore because her family members had shared the last wish of Manorama, which was to be cremated through a traditional funeral pyre and not by electric cremation. Like many of her hit movies, her last journey also drew a full house as movie buffs gathered in huge numbers to bid a tearful farewell. The police had a tough time controlling the crowd. Her son Bhoopathy did the final rites and lit the funeral pyre at 7pm on Sunday.