Actress Kaviyur Renuka died in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala on August 2, 2004 following a brief illness. She was 46 and is survived by husband and playwright Karakulam Chandran and daughter Nidhi.

Renuka, sister of noted actress Kaviyur Ponnama, had acted in a number of television serials and films. Through her roles as a mother in the serials, she won the hearts of many Malayalam movie buffs. Kaviyur Renuka played the role of the mother with characteristic ease and was very successful in etching out characters in a different plane. She got into acting through KPAC, a left-theatre movement formed in 50s. Her debut drama was KAYYUM THALAYUM PURATHIDARUTHU. The movie that got her into the limelight was LELAM and stepped into the small screen with her serial VAMSAM, never to turn back. Despite her late entry, Kaviyur Renuka was able to capture the attention of the Malayalam film and television world with her extraordinary performance. She is sure to be remembered for a very long time to come.