Actor Kanakalatha who passed away on Monday evening, had been suffering from Parkinson's disease and amnesia, two health conditions that had left her in a state of misery during the final years of her life. Reports about her illness came to light after her sister Vijayamma opened up about the actor's health condition in a recent interview with a leading magazine.
According to Vijayamma, the actor started showing symptoms of the disease in 2021, beginning with insomnia. She was diagnosed with the onset of dementia after consulting a doctor in August, 2023. An MRI scan also revealed that her brain was shrinking.
Kanakalatha was admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital from October 22 to November 5, 2023. By then, her condition had deteriorated and she had difficulty swallowing her own saliva. She would also forget to eat food or drink water.
Kanakalatha who got married at the age of 22 and got divorced after 16 years of marriage, was childless and constantly sought the support of her sister Vijayamma who lived with her for 34 years. It was Vijayamma who accompanied her to events and shoots. Their nephew also provided support.
Kanakalatha last acted in Ganesh Raj's ‘Pookkaalam’ and 'Three Days'. She also featured in notable mainstream films such as ‘Panchavarnathatha’ in 2018 and ‘Akashaganga 2’ in 2019. Though she kept receiving offers from the film industry, she was forced to take a break from acting due to health issues.
The Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) had recently enrolled the actor in the insurance scheme introduced by them and received a monthly honorarium of Rs 5000 too. Additionally, she received financial support from Association of Television Media Artists (ATMA) and the Film Academy.
Kanakalatha has acted in more than 360 films across Malayalam and Tamil languages in a career spanning over 38 years. She was once a prominent figure in popular Malayalam cinema and also made a mark in the small screen. Kanakalatha's tryst with acting began at a young age. She started off in amateur plays before transitioning into professional dramas, where she discovered her passion for acting. Her debut film, ‘Unarthupattu’, unfortunately, was shelved, though she came into the spotlight with the film 'Chillu'.
In an interview with Manorama Online two years ago, Kanakalatha opened up about her personal journey and revealed that she got married after ‘Chillu’ got released. She said she felt isolated after her divorce. Her older brother's death also dealt a huge blow to her. She, however, found solace in raising his three children.
For years, Kanakalatha lived in rented accommodations. However, her dream took wings when she purchased a 3.5 cent land in Malayinkeezhu, where she built a house. Kalabhavan Mani and Indrans offered her financial help when she was short of Rs 3.5 lakh.
