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
- Ammachi Koottile Pranayakalam as Pathumma
- Aanum Pennum as Sumathiyamma
2019
- Mamangam as Puthumana Thampuratti
2016
- Pa.Va as Agnes / Sister amma
- Thoppil Joppan as Marykutty
- Poyi Maranju Parayathe...
- 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
- 2 Harihar Nagar as Andrew's mother
- Ividam Swargamanu as Elssama
- Kappalu Muthalali as Devaki
2008
- Twenty 20 as Bharathi Amma
- Manjadikuru as Devayani
- Gulmohar as Devaki
- Kavyam
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
- Njaan Salperu Raman Kutty as Devaki
- Mampazhakkalam as Lakshmi
- Vismayathumbathu as Sreekumar's Mother
2003
- Ammakilikkoodu as Marykutty Teacher
- Mr. Brahmachari as Subhadramma
- Hariharan Pilla Happy Aanu as Padmavathiyamma
- 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
- Njangal Santhushtaranu as Mother of the orphanage
- Pallavur Devanarayanan as Bhageerathi
1998
- Kottaram Veettile Apputtan as Appottan's mother
- Amma Ammayiamma as Sarada
- Manjeeradhwani
- 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
- Sukrutham
- Njan Kodiswaran as Janaki
- Kudumba Visesham as Bharathi
- Chukkan
- Vendor Daniel State Licency as Annamma Daniel
- Santhanagopalam
1993
- Kavadiyattam as Sethulakshmi
- Vatsalyam as Janakiyamma
- Gandharvam as Graceykutty
- Kalippattam as Sarojam's mother
- Samagamam as Annakutty
- Sopanam as Sethulakshmi Varma
- Oru Kadankatha Pole
- Chenkol as Ammu
- Maya Mayooram
- Ithu Manjukaalam
1992
- Pappayude Swantham Appoos
- Aayushkalam as Aby Mathew's Mother
- Mahanagaram
- Vietnam Colony as Parvathiyammal
- Kudumbasametham as Kochukutty Amma
- Mukhamudra as Lakshmi
- Ponnurukkum Pakshi
1991
- Sandhesam as Bhanumathi
- Bharatham as Devaki
- Ezhunnallathu
- Kizhakkunarum Pakshi as Ananthu' Mother
- Dhanam as Sivasankarans mother
- Apoorvam Chilar as Sarojam
- Aparahnam as Janakiyamma
- Ulladakkam as Sunny's Mother
- Pookkalam Varavayi as Nandan's Mother
1990
- Midhya as Rajagopal's Mother
- In Harihar Nagar as Andrews's mother
- Purappadu
- His Highness Abdullah as Bhagirathi Valiya Thampurati
- Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom as Vinayachandran's Mother
- Kattukuthira as Manka
- Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu as Nurse Leeladevi
- Rajavazhcha as Naniyamma
1989
- Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal as Devaki
- Adhipan as Shyam Prakash's mother
- Mazhavilkavadi as Velayudhankutty's Mother
- Kireedam as Ammu
- Dasharatham as Chandradas's mother
- Ulsavapittennu as Kalyaniyamma
- Vandanam as Unnikrishnan's mother
- Muthukkudayum Choodi
- Jaathakam as Janaki
- Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam as Mariamma
1988
- Sathya as Malayali shop-owner
- Mukthi as Madhaviyamma
- 1921
- Unnikrishnante Adyathe Christmas
1987
- Anantaram as Yoginiyamma
- Thaniyavarthanam
- Irupatham Noottandu as Meenakshiyamma
- Achuvettante Veedu
- Oru Maymasa Pulariyil
1986
- Kshamichu Ennoru Vakku as Shanthamma
- Sukhamo Devi
- Manasilloru Manimuthu
- Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal as Reetha
- Iniyum Kurukshetrum as Kartyayani
- Nakhakshathangal
- Ennu Nathante Nimmi as Nirmala's grandmother
1985
- Makan Ente Makan as Paaruvamma
- Thinkalazhcha Nalla Divasam as Janakikutty
- Ee Thanalil Ithiri Neram
- Adhyayam Onnu Muthal as Maash
- Angadikkappurathu as Rosi
- Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki
1984
- Swanthamevide Bandhamevide as Lakshmi
- Kanamarayathu as Mother Superior
- Kodathi as Venu's mother
- Ariyaatha Veethikal as Janakiyamma
- Manithali as Zulfikar's mother
- Thirakal as Madhaviyamma
- Face to Face
1983
- Sesham Kazhchayil as Susheela
- Enikku Vishakunnu as Chinamma
- Marakkillorikkalum as Sharada
- Mansoru Maha Samudram as Devaki
- Nathi Muthal Nathi Vare as Lakshmi
1982
- Beedi Kunjamma as Madhavan's Mother
- Kaaliya Mardhanam
- Balloon
- Chiriyo Chiri
- Ilakkangal as Valiyamma
1981
- Oppol
- Thrishna as Chinnammu
- Maniyanpilla Adhava Maniyanpilla
- Vayal
1980
- Thirayum Theeravum as Mohan's mother
- Manushya Mrugam as Babu's Mother
- Moorkhan
- Anthappuram
- Love in Singapore
- Kaantha Valayam as Mariyamma
- Agni Saram
- Karimpana
- Chamaram as Ravi's Mother
1978
- Rathinirvedam as Saraswathi
- Aniyara
- Eeta
- Avalude Ravukal as Lakshmi
- Kodiyettam as Kamalamma
- Randilonnu
- Kudumbam Namukku Sreekovil
- Uthrada Rathri
1977
- Satyavan Savithri
- Nirakudam
- Siva Thaandavam
- Jagadguru Aadisankaran as Kaippilly Aryadevi Antarjanam, Mother of Sankaracharyar
- Itha Ivide Vare as Kamalakshi
- Oonjaal
- Achaaram Ammini Osharam Omana as Dhakshayani
1976
- Innale Innu
- Thulaavarsham
- Aruthu
- Amrithavaahini as Lakshmi
- Appooppan
1975
- Makkal as Leela
- Tourist Bungalow
- Thiruvonam
- Mattoru Seetha
- Utsavam as Mother of Gopi
- Prayanam as Amminiyamma
1974
- Chakravakam as Soshamma
- Nellu as Savithri Varassyar
- Arakkallan Mukkalkkallan as Queen Lakshmi
- Ponnapuram Kotta
- Devi Kanyakumari as Old Lady
1973
- Nirmalyam as Velichapad's Wife
1972
- Puthrakameshti
- Manthrakodi as Saraswathi
- Snehadeepame Mizhi Thurakku
- Gandharavakshetram as Kalamezhuthu Singer
- Aromalunni as Thumbolarcha
- Theerthayathra as Kochikkaavu
- Akkarapacha as Bhageerathi
- Sree Guruvayoorappan
1971
- Karakanakadal as Tharathi
- Vithukal as Ammini
- Aabhijathyam as Janaki Amma
1970
- Vivahitha
- Nizhalattam as Ravi's Mother
- Thriveni as Parvathy
- Othenante makan as Naani
- Cross Belt as Bhavani
1969
- Aalmaram as Ammini Amma
1968
- Velutha Kathreena as Marthappulayi
1965
- Odayil Ninnu as Kalyani
- Daham