Chennai: Veteran actress and popular dancer Jyothi Lakshmi Prasad passed away at her T.Nagar residence here on Monday night after fighting blood cancer for a brief period. She was 68.
She was born in Kancheepuram in 1948 and was eldest among eight siblings, five daughters and three sons, with her last sister Jayamalini who also made it to cinema later.
Jyothi Lakshmi is survived by her husband and cameraman Sai Prasad and daughter Jyothi Meena. It was K.S. Ravikumar’s Rajini starrer Muthu where she performed for a special song Kokku Saiva Kokku which brought her once again in limelight. Bala’s Sethu happened where she did Kaana Karugiyile number appreciated by the masses. She was last seen in G.V. Prakash film Trisha Illena Nayanthara.Her upcoming movie was Kavalai Vendaam that has Jiiva in the lead.
She got the distinction of acting with three Chief Ministers namely MGR, Jayalalithaa and NTR. Jyothi Lakshmi has also danced alongside her sister Jayamalini and also with her daughter Jyothi Meena in an Ajith starrer Nesam.
Her notable serials include Valli (running serial), Annamalai, Vasantham among others.
Talking to the media her husband said, “Jyothi was suffering from blood cancer and getting treated at Apollo Hospitals in the city. She was complaining of pain and giddiness often in the recent past while working in the serial Valli. On Monday late hours, she woke up and said she was feeling uncomfortable. After coming back from rest room, she sat in a chair and doubted if she would survive anymore”.
Jyothi Lakshmi, who had acted in more than 500 films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam , Kannada and Hindi was introduced to Tamil cinema by late legend MGR in his film Periya Idatthu Penn and who can forget the song Kattodu Kuzhal Aada from the film where she shared screen space with him. Later her noted dance routines with MGR include Kaalathai Vendravan Nee in Adimai Penn, Pambai Udukkai Katti from Rickshawkaran, a song in Kumari Kottam, and many flicks with Sivaji Ganesan, including Galatta Kalyanam.
