Veteran actor Jameela Malik, known for her critically-acclaimed roles in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu cinema, aside from her work in television serials, passed away in Thiruvananthapuram in the early hours of Tuesday.
Jameela, 73, was suffering from age-related ailments for some time, family sources said. Though she was taken to hospital on Tuesday night after she complained of chest pain, she was declared dead on arrival.
Jameela, who shared the screen with veteran stars like Prem Nazir and Adoor Bhasi in the 1970s, was the first Kerala woman to graduate from the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. The achievement is heightened by the fact that she joined FTII at the age of 16, during the 1970s when it was rare for women to pursue film studies, reports Mathrubhumi. She was also the second woman from south India to pursue her studies in FTII.
Beginning her career with the N N Pisharady-directed Malayalam movie Ragging in 1973, she essayed notable roles in around 50 films, including Pandavapuram, Adyathe Katha, Rajahamsam and Lahari.
She also appeared in television serials, especially on Doordarshan during the 1990s.
Jameela also left her mark in dubbing films. She had even dubbed for Hindi films at the time.
Jameela, who lived in Chennai, returned to Kerala after her short-lived marriage ended. As her movie career dwindled and with a son to care for, she turned to work as a hostel matron and Hindi school teacher to earn a living.
She also tried her hand at writing novels and radio plays. According to reports, the actor has also written about 12 plays for Akashvani.
Interviews given by Jameel portray her as a strong and independent woman. “I have certain decisions. I have lived without going back from them. I fought throughout my life to stand firm in those decisions. My parents were also like that. That is the reason why they lost house and land. I have no hard feelings towards anyone. Though I do not own a house, I haven’t lost my spirit,” she reportedly said.
Jameela is survived by her son Ansar Malik. As per reports, her funeral was held at her native town in Kollam on Tuesday evening, after the mortal remains were kept in Thiruvananthapuram for the public to pay homage.
With PTI inputs