Veteran Malayalam actress K.P.A.C. Lalitha, who had been hospitalized and getting treated for multiple health issues, passed away on Tuesday night at around 11. p.m. She was 74.

Lalitha has had a prolific career in Malayalam cinema, and has won several awards for her work. Having worked in the industry for more than 5 decades and acted in over 550 movies, Lalitha has won two National Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress, in 1991 and 2001, and has won four Kerala State Film awards as well, in 1975, 1978, 1990 and 1991. She was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2009 Filmfare South Awards. Lalitha, the wife of one of Kerala's most popular directors, Bharathan, who passed away in 1998, was also the chairperson of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi. Her son Sidharth is also an actor and a director.