Kaviyoor Ponnamma

Biography

Kaviyoor Ponnamma (10 September 1945 – 20 September 2024) was an acclaimed Indian actress who worked predominantly in Malayalam cinema. She had a career spanning more than six decades and appeared in around 700 films, along with television serials and stage productions.

She began her career as a stage performer and singer before entering films. Her early theatrical work included performances with the Kerala People's Arts Club (KPAC), and she made her film debut with Kudumbini. She later gained recognition for her performances in films such as Nirmalyam (1973), Nellu (1974), Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal (1989) and Devadas (1989).

Ponnamma became especially famous for portraying mother characters and was affectionately regarded as the "mother" of Malayalam cinema. She played the mother of many leading actors, most notably Mohanlal, with whom she appeared as mother and son in nearly 50 films. She had also played mother roles opposite actors such as Sathyan, Prem Nazir and Madhu.

Throughout her career, she won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress four times, in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1994. She also occasionally worked as a playback singer, with singing credits in films including Dharmayudham (1973), Theertha Yathra (1972), Ilakkangal (1982) and Chiriyo Chiri (1982).

Kaviyoor Ponnamma died in Kochi on 20 September 2024, aged 79. She is remembered as one of the most beloved mother figures and enduring character actresses in the history of Malayalam cinema.