Jayaraj
It was Lalitha Chechi who took me by the hand into film life. Lalitha Chechi was a close friend of my aunt in Madras. That connection led to Bharathettan. Bharathettan’s house was like a gurukul. Studying there is the greatest happiness of life. Chechi last acted in ‘Avalil’ which I directed. Chechi took life and cinema together. The ups and downs of life, the pains and the joys were presented in the film. Chechi’s strength was her own life.
Female characters who look as determined as calm and at peace with the noble. The National Award for Peace was won by a mother who had to look on indifferently as her children died in the wake of political assassinations. Her acting was ill. How beautifully he stood up for the movie despite his body fatigue. What is seen now is Chechi lying completely paralyzed.
A life where everything is open. Such characters. People around seem to be talking through Chechi. Chechi was always immersed in the realities of life. In all my films, the characters were prepared only for Lalitha Chechi. That was something only Chechi could do. Chechi repeatedly expressed her desire to make a film and act based on Sarah Joseph’s novel ‘Mattathi’, but was unable to do so.