Lalitha (16 December 1930 – 1982) was an Indian actress and dancer. She was the eldest of the "Travancore Sisters"—Lalitha, Padmini, and Ragini. She started her acting career in the 1948 Tamil film Adhithan Kanavu and has acted in movies of different Indian languages including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. She entered films before her sisters, concentrating more on Malayalam films, and was mostly cast in vamp roles.
Personal life
She was born to Thangappan Pillai and Saraswathi Amma on 16 December 1930 at Thiruvananthapuram. She is the aunt of actress Shobana. Malayalam actress Ambika Sukumaran is her relative. Actress Sukumari was the trio's maternal first cousin. Malayalam actor Krishna is her grandson.
Partial filmography
Malayalam
Prasanna (1950) Chandrika (1950) .... Dancer Amma (1952) .... Saradha Kaanchana (1952) .... Kaanchana Ponkathir (1953) .... Radha
Tamil
Kannika (1947) ..... Shiva
Adhithan Kanavu (1948) ... Pushumarasura
Mohini (1948) Bhojan (1948) Gokuladasi (1948) Vedhala Ulagam (1948) Gnana Soundari (1948) Bhaktha Jana (1948) .... Kubja Vazhkai (1949) Deva Manohari (1949) Kanniyin Kaadhali (1949) Laila Majnu (1949) Maayavathi (1949) Geethagandhi (1949) Pavalakkodi (1949) Naatiya Rani (1949) Mangayarkarasi (1949) Velaikkari (1949) Vinothini (1949) Chandrika (1950) Ezhai Padum Padu (1950) .... Angela Manthiri Kumari (1950) Ponmudi (1950) Ithaya Geetham (1950) Krishna Vijayam (1950) .... Gopika Vijayakumari (1950) Marudhanaattu Ilavarasi (1950) Parijatham (1950) Digambara Samiyar (1950) Singari (1951) Sudharshan (1951) Manamagal (1951) .... Vijaya Or Iravu (1951) .... Shyamala Devagi (1951) Vanasundari (1951) Dharma Devatha (1952) .... Bijile Andhaman Kaidhi (1952) Amma (1952) ... Saradha Anbu (1952) ... Reeta Amarakavi (1952) Kanchana (1952) ... Kanchana Marumagal (1953) ... Usha Ponni (1953) ... Ponni Devadas (1953) .... Chandramukhi Ulagam (1953) Thookku Thookki (1954) .... Prema Kanavu (1954) Vaira Maalai (1954) Sugam Enge (1954) Valliyin Selvan (1955) ... Vathsala Menaka (1955) Kanavaney Kankanda Deivam (1955) .... Nagarani Kaveri (1955) .... Amudha Ulagam Palavidham (1955) .... Indra Rajakumari (1955) Nalla Thangai (1955) Ellam Inba Mayam (1955) .... Guest role Madurai Veeran (1956) Rajarajan (1957) ... Priyamohini Pudhu Vazhvu (1957) Kanniyin Sabatham (1958) Thanga Padhumai (1959) Baghdad Thirudan (1960) Senthamarai (1962) Ellorum Vazhavendum (1962) 1967 Nil N S Krishnan (1967)
Telugu
Vijaya Gauri (1955) Ammalakkalu (1953) ... Usha Devadasu (1953) ... Chandramukhi Dharma Devatha (1952) Kanchana (1952)...Kanchana Navvithe Navarathnaalu (1951) Chandravanka (1951) Jeevitham (1950) Thirugubatu (1950) Beedala Patlu (1950) ... Angela Laila Majnu (1949)
Hindi
Kalpana (1948) Kalpana (1960)
Sinhala
Surasena (1957) Kapati Arakshakaya (1948) (Choreography only)