“Filmmaker Priyadarshan and his wife Lizzie were at her deathbed. Sukumariji was a mother to Lizzie. And she wasn’t alone. Sukumari<em>ji</em> mothered generations of her adopted children, me included. She knew the most powerful people. But she liked to live a simple life, never flaunted her connections. She never asked for a favour for herself, always for others. Though she was Malayali she spoke impeccable Tamil.