Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 7 : Ailing former Malayalam actress Sreelatha Menon, suffering from a rare bone disease for long, passed away here on Friday night, her family said.

The 51-year-old -- known for films like "Perumthachan" and "Kauthuka" -- breathed her last at the state-run Medical College Hospital, where she was being treated.

Her husband passed away a few years back. The then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in 2012 extended to her financial assistance and treatment after knowing about her medical condition surfaced. The Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes also chipped in.

A former Miss Trivandrum (1985), she acted in more than 20 films and over 200 TV serials.

She is survived by three children.