Kaviyoor Ponnamma
Born: 1945-09-10 in Kaviyoor, Thiruvalla, Kerala
Died: 2024-09-10
Known For: Acting
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.
Filmography
2024
- Poacher as Mother Finn
2022
- Aaraattu as Voice (Uncredited)
2021
- Aanum Pennum as Sumathiyamma
- Ammachi Koottile Pranayakalam as Pathumma
2019
- Mamangam as Puthumana Thampuratti
2016
- Poyi Maranju Parayathe...
- Thoppil Joppan as Marykutty
- Pa.Va as Agnes / Sister amma
- Oppam as Jayaraman's valiyammayi
2014
- Avatharam as Madhavan's Mother
2013
- Kadal Kadannu Oru Maathukutty as Mariyamma
- Ginger as Vivekanandan's mother
2012
- Mr. Marumakan as Bhavani Amma
2011
- Collector as Avinash's and Mahendran's mother
- Christian Brothers as Joseph Vadakkan's mother
- Ithu Nammude Katha as Saraswathy
2009
- Meghatheertham
- Ividam Swargamanu as Elssama
- 2 Harihar Nagar as Andrew's mother
- Kappalu Muthalali as Devaki
2008
- Manjadikuru as Devayani
- Twenty 20 as Bharathi Amma
- Kavyam
- Gulmohar as Devaki
2007
- Anchil Oral Arjunan as Sudheendran's mother
2006
- Baba Kalyani as Meenakshiyamma
- Vadakkumnadhan as Rugmavathi Amma
2004
- Runway as Bharathi
- Natturajavu as Charlie's Mother
- Vismayathumbathu as Sreekumar's Mother
- Mampazhakkalam as Lakshmi
- Njaan Salperu Raman Kutty as Devaki
2003
- Hariharan Pilla Happy Aanu as Padmavathiyamma
- Mr. Brahmachari as Subhadramma
- Ammakilikkoodu as Marykutty Teacher
- Pattanathil Sundaran as Bhavaniyamma
2002
- Nandanam as Unni Amma
2001
- Kakkakuyil as Sethu Lakshmi Bhai / Thampuratty
- Uthaman as Jayaraj's Mother
2000
- Arayannangalude Veedu as Lakshmi
1999
- Ezhupunna Tharakan as Kunjannamma
- The Godman as Amarnath's Mother
- Pallavur Devanarayanan as Bhageerathi
- Njangal Santhushtaranu as Mother of the orphanage
1998
- Priyuralu
- Kottaram Veettile Apputtan as Appottan's mother
- Amma Ammayiamma as Sarada
- Poothiruvathira Raavil
1997
1995
- No: 1 Snehatheeram Banglore North as Vijayabhaskar's mother
- Mannar Mathai Speaking as Meera's Mother
- Minnaminuginum Minnukettu
- Karma
- Saadaram
1994
- Thenmavin Kombath as Yeshodhamma
- Njan Kodiswaran as Janaki
- Chukkan
- Sukrutham
- Kudumba Visesham as Bharathi
- Vendor Daniel State Licency as Annamma Daniel
- Santhanagopalam
1993
- Sopanam as Sethulakshmi Varma
- Samagamam as Annakutty
- Vatsalyam as Janakiyamma
- Kalippattam as Sarojam's mother
- Gandharvam as Graceykutty
- Kavadiyattam as Sethulakshmi
- Oru Kadankatha Pole
- Chenkol as Ammu
- Ithu Manjukaalam
- Maya Mayooram
1992
- Mahanagaram
- Vietnam Colony as Parvathiyammal
- Aayushkalam as Aby Mathew's Mother
- Pappayude Swantham Appoos
- Kudumbasametham as Kochukutty Amma
- Mukhamudra as Lakshmi
- Ponnurukkum Pakshi
1991
- Sandhesam as Bhanumathi
- Bharatham as Devaki
- Ezhunnallathu
- Dhanam as Sivasankarans mother
- Pookkalam Varavayi as Nandan's Mother
- Ulladakkam as Sunny's Mother
- Aparahnam as Janakiyamma
- Kizhakkunarum Pakshi as Ananthu' Mother
- Apoorvam Chilar as Sarojam
1990
- Purappadu
- His Highness Abdullah as Bhagirathi Valiya Thampurati
- In Harihar Nagar as Andrews's mother
- Midhya as Rajagopal's Mother
- Kattukuthira as Manka
- Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom as Vinayachandran's Mother
- Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu as Nurse Leeladevi
- Rajavazhcha as Naniyamma
1989
- Mazhavilkavadi as Velayudhankutty's Mother
- Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal as Devaki
- Adhipan as Shyam Prakash's mother
- Ulsavapittennu as Kalyaniyamma
- Kireedam as Ammu
- Dasharatham as Chandradas's mother
- Vandanam as Unnikrishnan's mother
- Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam as Mariamma
- Jaathakam as Janaki
- Muthukkudayum Choodi
1988
- Vidaparayan Mathram
- Mukthi as Madhaviyamma
- Sathya as Malayali shop-owner
- 1921
- Unnikrishnante Adyathe Christmas
1987
- Achuvettante Veedu
- Anantaram as Yoginiyamma
- Irupatham Noottandu as Meenakshiyamma
- Thaniyavarthanam
- Oru Maymasa Pulariyil
1986
- Kshamichu Ennoru Vakku as Shanthamma
- Manasilloru Manimuthu
- Sukhamo Devi
- Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal as Reetha
- Ennu Nathante Nimmi as Nirmala's grandmother
- Nakhakshathangal
- Iniyum Kurukshetrum as Kartyayani
1985
- Makan Ente Makan as Paaruvamma
- Angadikkappurathu as Rosi
- Thinkalazhcha Nalla Divasam as Janakikutty
- Ee Thanalil Ithiri Neram
- Adhyayam Onnu Muthal as Maash
- Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki
1984
- Swanthamevide Bandhamevide as Lakshmi
- Ariyaatha Veethikal as Janakiyamma
- Kanamarayathu as Mother Superior
- Thirakal as Madhaviyamma
- Kodathi as Venu's mother
- Manithali as Zulfikar's mother
- Face to Face
1983
- Enikku Vishakunnu as Chinamma
- Marakkillorikkalum as Sharada
- Sesham Kazhchayil as Susheela
- Mansoru Maha Samudram as Devaki
- Nathi Muthal Nathi Vare as Lakshmi
1982
- Kaaliya Mardhanam
- Chiriyo Chiri
- Beedi Kunjamma as Madhavan's Mother
- Ilakkangal as Valiyamma
- Balloon
1981
- Maniyanpilla Adhava Maniyanpilla
- Oppol
- Thrishna as Chinnammu
- Vayal
1980
- Thirayum Theeravum as Mohan's mother
- Manushya Mrugam as Babu's Mother
- Karimpana
- Love in Singapore
- Kaantha Valayam as Mariyamma
- Anthappuram
- Agni Saram
- Chamaram as Ravi's Mother
- Moorkhan
1978
- Rathinirvedam as Saraswathi
- Aniyara
- Avalude Ravukal as Lakshmi
- Eeta
- Kodiyettam as Kamalamma
- Randilonnu
- Uthrada Rathri
- Kudumbam Namukku Sreekovil
1977
- Satyavan Savithri
- Siva Thaandavam
- Itha Ivide Vare as Kamalakshi
- Achaaram Ammini Osharam Omana as Dhakshayani
- Oonjaal
- Nirakudam
- Jagadguru Aadisankaran as Kaippilly Aryadevi Antarjanam, Mother of Sankaracharyar
- Minimol
1976
- Innale Innu
- Thulaavarsham
- Appooppan
- Amrithavaahini as Lakshmi
- Aruthu
1975
- Tourist Bungalow
- Makkal as Leela
- Mattoru Seetha
- Thiruvonam
- Utsavam as Mother of Gopi
- Prayanam as Amminiyamma
1974
- Arakkallan Mukkalkkallan as Queen Lakshmi
- Chakravakam as Soshamma
- Nellu as Savithri Varassyar
- Devi Kanyakumari as Old Lady
1973
- Nirmalyam as Velichapad's Wife
- Ponnapuram Kotta
1972
- Manthrakodi as Saraswathi
- Snehadeepame Mizhi Thurakku
- Puthrakameshti
- Akkarapacha as Bhageerathi
- Aromalunni as Thumbolarcha
- Gandharavakshetram as Kalamezhuthu Singer
- Sree Guruvayoorappan
- Theerthayathra as Kochikkaavu
1971
- Vithukal as Ammini
- Karakanakadal as Tharathi
- Aabhijathyam as Janaki Amma
1970
- Vivahitha
- Nizhalattam as Ravi's Mother
- Cross Belt as Bhavani
- Othenante makan as Naani
- Thriveni as Parvathy
1969
- Aalmaram as Ammini Amma
1968
- Velutha Kathreena as Marthappulayi
1965
- Odayil Ninnu as Kalyani
- Daham