Malayalam’s unforgettable actress who slowly forgot her own name

Thiruvananthapuram: An artist who had left an indelible mark on the Malayalam audience with her unforgettable presence in supporting roles in movies, Kanakalatha, has bid adieu to the world. Even though she is no longer with us, the characters and roles she portrayed remain unfading. In her final years, her health deteriorated to such an extent that she could not even recognize herself on television.

Living with her sister in Malayinkeezhu during her last years, Kanakalatha was often seated in front of the television during breaks in her treatment by her sister Vijayamma. She battled Parkinson's Disease and dementia, with her sister recounting that it was through Mohanlal’s ‘Thanmathra’ that she even became aware of dementia. During the lockdown period in 2021, Kanakalatha became increasingly silent, and by December of that year, she began exhibiting signs of dementia.

Despite offers that came her way from the serial and cinema fronts, Kanakalatha declined them all. She gradually stopped eating and became noticeably thin, even cutting her long curly hair. Watching her own movies, she would sometimes appear on the verge of recognizing herself, only to fail. Finally, her health deteriorated entirely, and she passed away, leaving behind memories.