Ms Jayalalithaa said many a time she had food at Ms Manorama’s place.
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“She was pleasant in disposition and had acted in many films alongwith Puratchi Thalaivar MGR and me”, she said. Daughter of Kasi Kilakudaiyar (Kallar – Devar) and Ramamirtham in Mannargudi, Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, she initially played in many of her mother’s roles as she was known to have resembled her mother, who was an actress.
She is survived by her son and singer-actor Boopathy.
The veteran artiste who set a Guinness record when she completed 1,000 films is also fondly known as Aachi.
In a cinema that celebrated loudness, she was the nuanced actor who could match thespians like Sivaji Ganesan, the Nadigar Thilakam.
Many even in her funeral will inadvertently have a smile on their faces when they reminisce over those memorable screen moments she gave us.
Manorama was bitten by a banded krait (‘Kattuviriyan’ snake) when she was shooting for the film Manjal Kungumam. She has essayed important roles in films written by C N Annadurai and M.Karunanidhi (ex CM’s). Manorama was not only a talented comedienne, but also had the confidence to match her wits with the best performers. Making her film debut in 1958 in “Malaiyitta Mangai”, a role offered by poet-lyricist Kannadasan, she went on star in almost 1,200 movies in the four South Indian languages, chiefly Tamil, as well as in Hindi. Her first film as the lead actress was Konjum Kumari in the 1963. “What a great loss Manorama aachi passed away”.
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Aachi was also well versed in several other crafts of the film industry. “I said, “I want to cast someone like you”, he adds. She was awarded with Padma Shri on 2002 and She won National Award for Best Supporting Actress for the movie Pudhiya pathai in 1989. A legend has left us.
