Fans bid tearful adieu to veteran actor Leelavathi

Several politicians and sandalwood celebrities were present to pay their last respects to the departed actor.

A sea of people gathered at Ravindra Kalakshetra in Bengaluru on Saturday to catch a final glimpse of legendary actor Leelavathi. Her actor-son Vinod Raj was by her side when she breathed her last on Friday at a private hospital in Bengaluru.

The body was kept for public viewing at the Ravindra Kalakshetra between 11.30 am and 1.30 pm. The cremation was later in the day at the actor's farm in Soladevanahalli, Nelamangala Taluk. Their pet dog, supposedly very fond of her, was seen sitting beside the body at the funeral. The presence of hundreds of fans is a testimony to Leelavathi's long-standing, illustrious career. She was undoubtedly one of the most loved and revered actors in the film industry. It was her versatility and her ability to slip into different roles that set her apart from the others of her time.

Several politicians and sandalwood celebrities, who came to pay their last respects, were seen consoling Vinod.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, former chief minister B S Yediyurappa, ministers Shivaraj Tangadagi, H C Mahadevappa and BJP leader C T Ravi were present.

Leelavathi always acknowledged her fans

Actors such as Ramesh Aravind, Ramesh Bhat, M N Lakshmi Devi, Umashree, Tara and senior director Rajendra Singh Babu also visited Ravindra Kalakshetra. Speaking to reporters at the venue, Ramesh Aravind (actor-director), recollected one of his interactions with Leelavathi. He quoted her when he said, "I remember I have suffered a lot in my life but applause by the audience makes me forget all that."

Hundreds of fans from across the state came to see their beloved "Leelavathi amma" as they called her for one last time. S Venkatesha from Anekal, a local JD(S) leader, recollected her spectacular roles, alongside top actors and said her passing away has left a void in the film industry. Manjula, a resident of P G Halli, who had also come to the venue, said Leelavathi was an inspiration to women to stay strong despite the many challenges life throws at them. "She braved her way through a stormy life and built a good life for her son. In turn, he also took care of her till her last breath," she added.

Illustrious career

In a career spanning close to six decades, Leelavathi acted in over 600 films. She formed a legendary pair with Dr Rajkumar in the 1960s. 'Ranadheera Kanteerava', 'Veera Kesari' and 'Chandrahasa' are a few of their famous films.

She excelled in "supporting actor" roles in the 70s and 80s. While some of these films starred Rajkumar, she also shared screen space with other popular stars such as Vishnuvardhan, Ambareesh, Shankar Nag, Puneeth Rajkumar and so on. Other notable films include 'Nagarahavu', 'Bhakta Kumbara' and 'Auto Raja'.