A movie star who was seen as a sure-shot formula for success in the '60s and '70s, and a politician who is best described as the queen of Tamil politics, Jayalalithaa was destined to live her life in the public eye, enjoying the love and affection of lakhs of fans and supporters.
Despite being in the limelight all these years, there are a few aspects of her life that are not so well known.
Here's a look at 15 things you probably didn't know about Tamil Nadu's giant-killer:
Jayalalithaa Jayaram, fondly called Ammu at home, started learning Bharatnatyam at the age of three. She received training in Kathak, Mohiniattam and Manipuri dance as a child. She was also trained in classical music and western classical piano.
Jayalalithaa won the gold state award for securing the top position in class 10 in Tamil Nadu. She wanted to pursue law but was pushed into films by her mother who was a struggling actress. Jaya agreed to take up films after she became aware of her family's financial troubles.
Jayalalithaa's first Tamil film, Vennira Aadai, in 1965 made history even before its release by getting an "A" certificate as an adults-only film. Before this, a Tamil film had got an "A" certificate in 1951. Apparently the film certification board was upset by a song sequence where Jayalalithaa was bathing and dancing under a waterfall wearing a saree with a sleeveless blouse.
The "A" certificate meant that Jaya herself couldn't watch the movie as she was only 17. The movie was an instant hit and ran in theatres for over a 100 days. Jayalalithaa got rave reviews. Thousands became her fans overnight. A star was born!
Jayalalitha won seven Filmfare awards and six Tamil Nadu Cinema Fan awards for Best Actress.