Veteran Indian actor Leelavathi passed away on Friday evening due to age-related ailments, reported the 24NewsHD TV channel.

She was 85. Leelavathi worked predominantly in Kannada films, in addition to Tamil and Telugu films. She acted in more than 600 films (more than 400 in Kannada alone) throughout her career of more than 50 years.

She is known for many memorable performances like Bhakta Kumbara, Mana Mecchida Madadi and Santha Thukaram. She was the recipient of the Dr. Rajkumar Award in 1999 and Filmfare Awards.

Commencing her acting career at the age of 16, Leelavathi was cast in significant roles, often playing the lead alongside renowned actors like Dr. Rajkumar, M.G. Ramachandran, N.T. Rama Rao, Sivaji Ganesan, and Gemini Ganesan.