Kaviyoor Ponnamma (10 September 1945 – 20 September 2024) was an Indian actress who appeared in Malayalam films and television. Ponnamma had acted in around 700 movies in her career spanning more than six decades. 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. Her sister Kaviyoor Renuka was also an actress. 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.
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Early life
Ponnamma was born to T. P. Damodharan and Gauri, as the eldest of seven children, on 10 September 1945 in Kaviyoor, Thiruvalla. She had six siblings among whom Kaviyoor Renuka (d. 2004), her younger sister, was also an actress. Even though she was born in Kaviyoor, her childhood was spent in Ponkunnam where her father was doing business. She began taking singing lessons from age five. Ever since she saw a live concert of M. S. Subbulakshmi, she wanted to be a singer and even "look like her". Her arengettam (singing debut) was held in Kaviyoor when she was 11 years old, where she was first introduced by her stage name "Kaviyoor Ponnamma".
Career
As a five-year-old, she learned music and sang in stage shows. Ponnamma started her career as a singer with 'Pratibha Arts' theatre group at the age of 14. She was a disciple of popular musicians RLP Varma and Vechoor S Harihara Subramanya Aiyer. At around that time (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.
Personal life and death
Ponnamma was married to film producer Maniswami in 1969. The couple has a daughter Bindhu who is married and settled in the United States. Maniswami died in 2011 after a long illness.
Ponnamma died from cancer at Lissie Hospital in Kochi, Kerala, on 20 September 2024, at the age of 79.
Awards
Kerala State Film Awards
Second Best Actress in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1994
Other awards
Film City Magazine- Chalachitra Ratnam' Title – 2006
Pappanamkode Lakshmanan Award – 2006
O Madhavan Award – 2009
Bharath Murali Award – 2012
Kala Ratna award – EV Kala Mandalam – 2013
PK Rosy Award – 2015
Good Knight Film and Business Awards – 2017
Gurupranam – Honour by Malayalam Cine Technicians’ Association (MACTA) – 2013
Honour by KSFDC – 2015
Honour by Kerala State Film Awards – 2016
Felicitation by Kerala State Film Awards – 2017
Kausalya Vandanam programme Honour – 2017
Kalaiselvam Award – Government of Tamil Nadu
Honour by Kaviyoor Panchayat
DLSA Honour
Filmography
As a film playback singer
1963 – "Kaavilamme Karinkali" – Kaattumaina
1968 – "Methikkalathile" – Velutha Kathreena
1972 – "Ambike Jagadambike" – Theerthayaathra
1973 – "Mangalaam Kaavile" – Dharmayudham
1982 – "Thushaaramanikal" – Illakkangal
1982 – "Palathum Paranju" – Chiriyo Chiri
1999 – "Unknown" – Pallavur Devanarayanan
Television
Drama
As drama actress
Mooladhanam
Puthiya Akasham Puthiya Bhoomi
Janani Janmbhoomi
Doctor
As a drama singer
"Vellilam Kaattilolichu Kalikkuvan"
"Pookkaara Pootharumo" (Doctor)
"Onappooviliyil" (Mooladhanam)
"Kaalchilambil" (Mooladhanam)
"Oru vazhithaarayil" (Althara)
"Pottichirichu"
"Mannil Piranna"(Althara)
"Mulchedikkaattil"(Althara)
"Vala Vala"(Althara)
(Yagashala)
(Maya)
Albums
Karyasiddhi Pooja
Ente Malayalam
Sreeramajapam
Makam - (Singer)
Ellam Ente Chottanikkara Amma - (Singer)
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare - (Singer)
Advertisements
Sreelakshmi General & Pooja Store Payyoli
Fawaz Wedding Centre
Manohar Jewellers
Kalabhacharthu
Joy Alukkas Wedding Center
Santhimadam Villa
Sreenivas Idli and Dosa Powder
Mas Curry Powder
Siva Emu