Experienced Lalitha Chechi's love through the food she cooked, writes Mohanlal

We are yet to overcome the pain and sorrow of losing Venu chettan (Nedumudy Venu).  And now, Lalitha Chechi too has left us.

These sorrows cannot be described in words. I have experienced Chechi's affection through the food she cooked and served. The closeness we shared during those meals were beyond film sets. 

Bharatettan’s house in Chennai was mine too. A place where I could go any time and ask anything. In a friendship that lasted days and nights, Chechi cooked a variety of food items and served me. She knew the food that suited my taste. 

We have not acted as mother son duo in many films. Only in films like Spadikam, Madambi and Ittimani did she portray my mother’s character. When I met her some time ago, Chechi told me that she wanted to do more roles as my mother on screen. The roles that she did were not enough. To be honest even I felt the same way. Many times she was more of a mother than an elder sister to me.

Lalitha Chechi was a pure soul, untainted by acting. But while in front of the camera she was just an actor. I have always felt astonished at how she could behave so naturally in front of the camera. 

She carried the pride of Kerala People's Arts Club (KPAC) team in her name in every sense. She even created moments where KPAC took pride in being tagged to her name.

I used to be dumb struck when I read the names of the writers, actors and directors who worked with Lalitha Chechi. Many stalwarts from that era are no longer amongst us. 

Lalitha Chechi called me often. She shared details of the health issues she faced during Covid pandemic. When Bharathettan left us, I was with Chechi in Chennai. I consider it my special connection. At that moment I held her hands, stood with her all through. 

Lalitha Chechi was a sister to me. Whenever I went through bad times, I'd get her comforting call.When I learnt that she was in an unconscious state, I couldn't bring myself to visit her. I had only seen a Lalitha Chechi who held us close affectionately till then. 

I and Sathyettan often discuss a scene from film “Sanmanasullavarku Samadhanam”. In the scene, Lalitha Chechi describes the relationship her daughter shares with the house. I am only an onlooker in this scene with a lengthy dialogue. When Chechi delivered the entire dialogue without even a rehearsal, I was unable to distinguish whether the scene was enacted or real.

After the shot, I was forced to ask Sathyettan whether she was speaking about her own life or delivering a dialogue written by Sreenivasan. It was a moment when I was awestruck by her performance. Many told me later that I acted well in that scene.

The truth is I did nothing in the scene. I couldn't  do anything as I stood there mesmerized by an acting legend Lalitha Chechi.  

Lalitha Chechi's acting was an exemplary lesson, a lesson no one else could teach.