Kochi, Jan 26 : Popular Malayalam actress Kalpana, who died on Monday in Hyderabad following cardiac arrest, was given a state funeral here on Tuesday evening.

She was 50.

Her body was earlier flown from Hyderabad and taken to her home here where thousands of her admirers paid their last respects.

Kalpana, who began her career as a child artiste in 1983, was hugely popular on and off the screen due to her jovial nature and had acted in more than 300 films, including other south Indian languages.

She won a National Award for the Best Supporting Actress in the film 'Thanichalla Njan' in 2012.

Those who paid homage to the actress included Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, his cabinet colleagues, and artistes Prithviraj, Siddique and Ranji, among others.