Actor Chitra, who featured in films across all South languages, died of a cardiac arrest at her home in Saligramam, Chennai, on Saturday. She was 56.

Called ‘Nallennai’ Chithra, due to the massive success of a cooking oil advertisement she featured in, the actor began her career as a child artiste when launched by filmmaker K Balachander in his Apoorva Raagangal (1975), which incidentally also marked the debut of Rajinikanth. In her first film as an adult, she featured alongside Mohanlal and Prem Nazir in Aattakalasam (1983). Chitra saw quite a bit of success in Malayalam cinema during the next two decades, acting alongside the biggest stars of the industry in films like  Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Amaram, Nayam Vyakthamakkunnu, Rajavazhcha, Devasuram, and Aaram Thamburan. Her performance in films like Ekalavyan, Panchagni and Commissioner, made her a household name in Malayalam cinema. 

In Tamil, on the back of the success of her famous advertisement and her performances in Malayalam cinema, she featured in films like Oorkavalan, Putham Pudhu Payanam, Cheran Pandiyan and Gopala Gopala. 

Chitra is survived by her husband Vijayararaghavan and daughter Mahalakshmi.