Renowned Malayalam actor and filmmaker Ambika Rao passed away due to cardiac arrest on Monday night.

Rao, who had also acted in numerous movies, was living in Thrissur and undergoing treatment for kidney disease. Recently, the actor recovered from the Covid-19 infection.

Ambika started her career as an assistant director in the early 2000s. Rao became an assistant director for the first time in 2002 in the movie 'Krishna Gopalakrishna' directed by Balachandra Menon. She was known in the film fraternity for coaching non-Keralite actors the Malayalam dialogues during movie shootings.

She had worked as an associate and assistant for numerous movies including Hallo, Big B, Romeo, Daddy Cool, Thommanum Makkalum, Salt and Pepper, Rajamanikyam among others.

Gramophone, Meeshamadhavan, Pattalam, Swapnakoodu, Chronic Bachelor, Vettom and the latest Kumblangi Nights were among some movies in which she acted.

Many celebrities, including Mohanlal, Mammootty, Prithviraj Sukumaran and several others paid tribute to the star.