Parvathamma Rajkumar, Kannada film producer and wife of late thespian Rajkumar, passed away at the age of 77. She breathed her last at 4.40 am on Wednesday at M S Ramaiah Memorial Hospital where she was treated for multiple organ complication.

Parvathamma’s second son Raghavendra Rajkumar said all her three sons including Shivarjkumar and Punit Rajkumar were at her bedside when she breathed her last.

The hospital release said Parvathamma was a known case of breast cancer that had spread to liver and lungs. Her kidney functions had also compromised.

“Parvathamma had a cardiac arrest at 4.30 am. Despite all active measures, she failed to respond and she was declared dead at 4.40 am,” said Dr Naresh Shetty, president of M S Ramaiah Memorial Hospital.

Raghavendra Rajkumar said his Parvathamma’s eyes were donated as per his late father’s wish. Rajkumar, who passed away in 2006, too had donated his eye. Doctors from Narayana Netralaya took away Pravathamma’s eyes.

Parvathamma’s family said her body will be placed at the Poorna Pragna Grounds near her residence in Sadashiva Nagar for people to pay their last respects. Her body will be buried at Kanteerava Studios at 6.30 pm near Rajkumar’s grave.

Seen as a driving force behind the super star Rajkumar, Parvathamma was credited to have produced over 80 super hit films. Apart from shaping up acting careers of her three sons __ Shivaraj, Raghvendra and Puneet __ she will be remembered for introducing many heroines including Prema, Ramya, Malasree, Rakshita, Sudharani , Asaha Rani and others.

She was born in Nanjangud of Mysore district in Karnataka on 6 December 1939 to Appaji Gowda and Lakshmamma. She was the second child among four sons and four daughters. Parvathamma married Rajkumar at the age of 13 on 25 June 1953.