Veteran Kannada actor Leelavathi passed away at a private hospital at Nelamangala, near Bengaluru, on Friday after a prolonged illness. She was 86.
She was admitted to the hospital following respiratory complications. She is survived by her son, Vinod Raj, who is also an actor.
Having acted in over 600 films, Leelavathi was also a part of several noted Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu projects. Following her stint in theatre, Leelavathi made her film debut in Bhakta Prahlada (1958). Her debut as a heroine in Kannada was Mangalya Yoga (1958).