Trigger Warning: This particular article contains information regarding the death of an individual which might be triggering for some readers.
Meet the legendary Malayalam actress who acted in over 700 films. The actress worked with actors like Mohanlal, Kamal Haasan, and Mammootty among others. This actress began her career through theater dramas and stage shows. She recently passed away after battling with stage 4 cancer. We are talking about Kaviyoor Ponnamma.
Who is Kaviyoor Ponnamma?
Kaviyoor Ponnamma came into the world on September 10, 1945, to her father T. P. Damodharan, and mother Gauri in Kaviyoor Thiruvalla. As the eldest child, she had six younger siblings. Notably, her sister Kaviyoor Renuka also pursued a career in acting.
Although Ponnamma was born in Kaviyoor, she spent most of her childhood in Ponkunnam where her father had set up his business. The actress was inclined towards singing from a young age. Ponnamma wanted to become a singer ever since she saw a live concert of M.S. Subbulakshmi and began learning to sing at the age of 5. When she turned 11, Ponnamma made her singing debut, Arangetram (Tamil word that refers to a student’s debut performance), and got her stage name as ‘Kaviyoor Ponnamma’.
Kaviyoor Ponnamma’s filmography
Kaviyoor Ponnamma has done several stage shows and showcased her exceptional singing talent. Finally, in 1958, the actress was spotted by the Kerala People’s Arts Club (KPAC) who was then looking for a girl to sing in their stage play. And this marked her debut as a heroine in stage drama at the age of 13. Ponnamma acted as the heroine in the Mooladhanam drama, directed by Thoppil Basi.
After a few years, she debuted in the films. It is worth mentioning that Kaviyoor Ponnamma was still a teenager when she stepped into the film industry. She played the character of Mandodari in Sreerama Pattabhishekam and then a mother of two in Kudumbini.
Ponnamma was just 21 when she had to put grey grease on her hair to play a loving mother to men way more senior than her. As quoted by The News Minute, the actress once said, “I had not watched a single play until I joined theater and not a single film until I began acting in them.”
Kaviyoor Ponnamma has shared the silver screen with legendary actors like Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Prem Naseer. Interestingly, the actress has played the mother to Mohanlal in more than 50 films, as reported by Manorama.
Kaviyoor Ponnamma’s notable work includes Asuravithu, Velutha Kathrina, Cross Belt, Nellu, Devdas, Makan Ente Makan, Thrishna, Devi Kanyakumari, Kanamarayathu, Oppam, Kireedam, Thenmavin Kombath, Chenkol, Vandanam and more. It is worth mentioning that Ponnamma was awarded the prestigious Kerala Film Award for her exceptional acting not once or twice but 4 times. The actress won the Second Best Actress award for Theertha Yathra and Thenmavin Kombathu and other films.
Kaviyoor Ponnamma’s personal life and death
Kaviyoor Ponnamma exchanged wedding vows with film producer Maniswami in 1969. The couple has a daughter named Bindhu who is now married and settled in the United States. In 2011, Maniswami breathed her last after battling a health-related illness for a long time.
Recently, Kaviyoor Ponnamma passed away after battling with stage 4 cancer in Kochi on September 20. The Malayalam actress was 79 years old at the time of her passing. The news of her demise sent shockwaves in the entire film industry with many actors expressing their grief.
Mohanlal and Mammootty also arrived at her funeral to offer their condolences to Kaviyoor Ponnamma’s family and pay their last respects to the actress. The two actors spent hours near her mortal remains as they got emotional after the passing of their ‘mother’ from Malayalam cinema.
The Neru actor also penned an emotional note on social media and wrote, “These words are written in the pain of the death of the mother. My beloved Ponnammachechi who has always showered love on the character and the person I am like a grandmother. We were mother and son to our beloved audience in Malayalam.”
With a career spanning over decades, the late actress has indeed left an indelible mark on the hearts of audiences with her versatile performances. Kaviyooor Ponnamma might not be with us physically but her legacy shall live forever.
Disclaimer: If you or anyone you know is suffering from any health-related ailments, do not hesitate to seek help from a medical professional.
