Renowned Marathi actress, director and theatre personality Smita Talwalkar died early yesterday at a private hospital where she was being treated for ovarian cancer, her doctor said. She was 59. Talwalkar, a winner of two National Awards, was the director of one of the country’s largest fitness chains, ‘Talwalkars’. She started her professional career as a television newsreader. Some of Talwalkar’s popular Marathi movies included Kalat Nakalat, Tu Tithe Mee, Prem Manjhe Prem Manjhe Asta, Chaukat Raja, Saatchya Aat Gharat and Sawat Majhi Ladki.