Kaviyoor Ponnamma
Biography
Kaviyoor Ponnamma (10 September 1945 – 20 September 2024) was an Indian actress who appeared in Malayalam films and television. She began her career performing in theatre dramas before foraying into cinema. She also acted in TV serials and commercials and had playback singing credits in few films
Ponnamma was a four-time Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress winner.
Often called as the "mother to all actors", she acted as mother of almost all actors in her career spanning over decades. At the age of 20, she played the mother of older actors Sathyan and Madhu in Thommente Makkal (1965). She particularly gained critical acclaim for acting as the mother of Mohanlal.
As a five-year-old, she learned music and sang in stage shows. In 1958, she was spotted by Kerala People's Arts Club (KPAC) who was looking for a girl who can sing in their stage play. They also gave her the role of heroine in Mooladhanam, her debut stage drama at age 13. It was directed by Thoppil Bhasi. After five years came her first movie Kudumbini, in which she did the title role of the mother of two children.
Ponnamma died from cancer at Lissie Hospital in Kochi, Kerala, on 20 September 2024, at the age of 79.
Known For
Acting
1989
as
1981
as
2021
as1983
asDevaki
1989
asUnnikrishnan's mother
1974
asSoshamma
1970
asParvathy
1993
as1986
asNirmala's grandmother
1994
as
1992
asLakshmi
2012
asBhavani Amma
1989
asAmmu
2002
asUnni Amma
1989
asKalyaniyamma
2009
asElssama
2013
asMariyamma
1993
asGraceykutty
1986
asReetha
1982
as
1995
asVijayabhaskar's mother
2004
asLakshmi
2006
asMeenakshiyamma
1991
asDevaki
1983
asLakshmi
1988
as
1978
asKamalamma
1984
asZulfikar's mother
1984
asVenu's mother
1998
asAppottan's mother
1979
as1974
asOld Lady
2008
asMuthassi
1984
asMother Superior
1983
asSusheela
1985
asPaaruvamma
1984
asJanakiyamma
1985
asJanakikutty
1985
as
1986
asShanthamma
1981
asChinnammu
1999
asKunjannamma
1999
asAmarnath's Mother
1990
asRajagopal's Mother
1993
asJanakiyamma
1988
asMadhaviyamma
1992
as
2000
asLakshmi
1999
asBhageerathi
1987
asYoginiyamma
1994
as
1995
asMeera's Mother
2008
as
2003
asPadmavathiyamma
2003
asSubhadramma
2004
asSreekumar's Mother
2004
asCharlie's Mother
2001
asSethu Lakshmi Bhai / Thampuratty
1993
asAmmu
1993
as
1993
asSarojam's mother
1991
asSivasankarans mother
1991
asAnanthu' Mother
1992
as
1991
asSunny's Mother
1989
asShyam Prakash's mother
1989
asDevaki
1986
as
1986
as1986
asKartyayani
1985
asMaash
1984
asLakshmi
1997
as
1978
asLakshmi
1978
as
1987
as
1973
asVelichapad's Wife
1990
asAndrews's mother
1990
asNurse Leeladevi
1977
asKamalakshi
1990
as1970
asBhavani
1990
asBhagirathi Valiya Thampurati
2003
asBhavaniyamma
1994
asYeshodhamma
1991
asBhanumathi
2004
asDevaki
1980
asBabu's Mother
2004
asBharathi
1993
asSethulakshmi
1976
as
1998
asSarada
1989
asVelayudhankutty's Mother
1995
as1991
asSarojam
2006
asRugmavathi Amma
1991
asNandan's Mother
1995
as
1987
asMeenakshiyamma
1994
asBharathi
1994
as
1992
asAby Mathew's Mother
1990
asVinayachandran's Mother
1990
as
1967
as
2009
asAndrew's mother
2008
asBharathi Amma
2011
asJoseph Vadakkan's mother
1984
as
2016
asAgnes / Sister amma
2016
asMarykutty
1974
as
2016
asJayaraman's valiyammayi
1975
asAmminiyamma
1978
asSaraswathi
1978
as1987
as
1974
asSavithri Varassyar
1981
as
2017
as
1965
asKalyani
2008
asDevaki
2011
as
2017
asRoy's Mother
1994
asJanaki
2016
as
2013
asVivekanandan's mother
2014
asMadhavan's Mother
1970
asNaani
1974
asQueen Lakshmi
1978
as
1978
as
1972
as
1993
as1982
asValiyamma
2009
asDevaki
1989
asChandradas's mother
1970
asRavi's Mother
1972
asSaraswathi
1972
as
1972
as
1972
asThumbolarcha
1972
asKalamezhuthu Singer
1971
asJanaki Amma
1969
asAmmini Amma
1990
asManka
1980
asMohan's mother
1971
asAmmini
1972
asKochikkaavu
1976
asLakshmi
1980
asRavi's Mother
1971
asTharathi
1993
asAnnakutty
1977
asKaippilly Aryadevi Antarjanam, Mother of Sankaracharyar
1965
as
1976
as
1977
asDhakshayani
1988
asMalayali shop-owner
2003
asMarykutty Teacher
1991
as
1993
asSethulakshmi Varma
2001
asJayaraj's Mother
1986
as1982
as
1983
asSharada
2009
as
1984
asMadhaviyamma
1985
asRosi
1975
as1972
asBhageerathi
2019
asPuthumana Thampuratti
1980
as
1998
as
1989
asMariamma
1994
asAnnamma Daniel
1981
as
1980
as
1980
as1980
as1991
asJanakiyamma
1975
as
1976
as
1975
as
1976
as
1977
as
1977
as
1977
as1998
as1980
as
1987
as
1982
as
1970
as1988
as
1977
as
2021
asSumathiyamma
1992
as
2022
asVoice (Uncredited)
1999
asMother of the orphanage
1989
asJanaki
2007
asSudheendran's mother
1975
asMother of Gopi
1985
as
1978
as
1992
asParvathiyammal
1995
as
asMother Finn
asHerself
Production
Crew
Directing
