Kaviyoor Ponnamma
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
Aaraattu
as Voice (Uncredited)
Aaraattu
as Voice (Uncredited)
Ammachi Koottile Pranayakalam
as Pathumma
Ammachi Koottile Pranayakalam
as Pathumma
Aanum Pennum
as Sumathiyamma
Aanum Pennum
as Sumathiyamma
Mamangam
as Puthumana Thampuratti
Mamangam
as Puthumana Thampuratti
Achayans
as Roy's Mother
Achayans
as Roy's Mother
Vedham
as Hariharan's mother
Vedham
as Hariharan's mother
Thoppil Joppan
as Marykutty
Thoppil Joppan
as Marykutty
Oppam
as Jayaraman's valiyammayi
Oppam
as Jayaraman's valiyammayi
Pa.Va
as Agnes / Sister amma
Pa.Va
as Agnes / Sister amma
Poyi Maranju Parayathe...
Poyi Maranju Parayathe...
Avatharam
as Madhavan's Mother
Avatharam
as Madhavan's Mother
Ginger
as Vivekanandan's mother
Ginger
as Vivekanandan's mother
Kadal Kadannu Oru Maathukutty
as Mariyamma
Kadal Kadannu Oru Maathukutty
as Mariyamma
Mr. Marumakan
as Bhavani Amma
Mr. Marumakan
as Bhavani Amma
Christian Brothers
as Joseph Vadakkan's mother
Christian Brothers
as Joseph Vadakkan's mother
Collector
as Avinash's and Mahendran's mother
Collector
as Avinash's and Mahendran's mother
Ithu Nammude Katha
as Saraswathy
Ithu Nammude Katha
as Saraswathy
Ividam Swargamanu
as Elssama
Ividam Swargamanu
as Elssama
Kappalu Muthalali
as Devaki
Kappalu Muthalali
as Devaki
Meghatheertham
Meghatheertham
2 Harihar Nagar
as Andrew's mother
2 Harihar Nagar
as Andrew's mother
Manjadikuru
as Devayani
Manjadikuru
as Devayani
Gulmohar
as Devaki
Gulmohar
as Devaki
Twenty 20
as Bharathi Amma
Twenty 20
as Bharathi Amma
Kavyam
Kavyam
Anchil Oral Arjunan
as Sudheendran's mother
Anchil Oral Arjunan
as Sudheendran's mother
Baba Kalyani
as Meenakshiyamma
Baba Kalyani
as Meenakshiyamma
Vadakkumnadhan
as Rugmavathi Amma
Vadakkumnadhan
as Rugmavathi Amma
Mampazhakkalam
as Lakshmi
Mampazhakkalam
as Lakshmi
Natturajavu
as Charlie's Mother
Natturajavu
as Charlie's Mother
Njaan Salperu Raman Kutty
as Devaki
Njaan Salperu Raman Kutty
as Devaki
Runway
as Bharathi
Runway
as Bharathi
Vismayathumbathu
as Sreekumar's Mother
Vismayathumbathu
as Sreekumar's Mother
Pattanathil Sundaran
as Bhavaniyamma
Pattanathil Sundaran
as Bhavaniyamma
Ammakilikkoodu
as Marykutty Teacher
Ammakilikkoodu
as Marykutty Teacher
Hariharan Pilla Happy Aanu
as Padmavathiyamma
Hariharan Pilla Happy Aanu
as Padmavathiyamma
Mr. Brahmachari
as Subhadramma
Mr. Brahmachari
as Subhadramma
Nandanam
as Unni Amma
Nandanam
as Unni Amma
Uthaman
as Jayaraj's Mother
Uthaman
as Jayaraj's Mother
Kakkakuyil
as Sethu Lakshmi Bhai / Thampuratty
Kakkakuyil
as Sethu Lakshmi Bhai / Thampuratty
Arayannangalude Veedu
as Lakshmi
Arayannangalude Veedu
as Lakshmi
Njangal Santhushtaranu
as Mother of the orphanage
Njangal Santhushtaranu
as Mother of the orphanage
Pallavur Devanarayanan
as Bhageerathi
Pallavur Devanarayanan
as Bhageerathi
The Godman
as Amarnath's Mother
The Godman
as Amarnath's Mother
Ezhupunna Tharakan
as Kunjannamma
Ezhupunna Tharakan
as Kunjannamma
Kottaram Veettile Apputtan
as Appottan's mother
Kottaram Veettile Apputtan
as Appottan's mother
Poothiruvathira Raavil
Poothiruvathira Raavil
Priyuralu
Priyuralu
Amma Ammayiamma
as Sarada
Amma Ammayiamma
as Sarada
Itha Oru Snehagatha
Itha Oru Snehagatha
Minnaminuginum Minnukettu
Minnaminuginum Minnukettu
No: 1 Snehatheeram Banglore North
as Vijayabhaskar's mother
No: 1 Snehatheeram Banglore North
as Vijayabhaskar's mother
Karma
Karma
Mannar Mathai Speaking
as Meera's Mother
Mannar Mathai Speaking
as Meera's Mother
Saadaram
Saadaram
Santhanagopalam
Santhanagopalam
Sukrutham
Sukrutham
Chukkan
Chukkan
Njan Kodiswaran
as Janaki
Njan Kodiswaran
as Janaki
Kudumba Visesham
as Bharathi
Kudumba Visesham
as Bharathi
Thenmavin Kombath
as Yeshodhamma
Thenmavin Kombath
as Yeshodhamma
Vendor Daniel State Licency
as Annamma Daniel
Vendor Daniel State Licency
as Annamma Daniel
Gandharvam
as Graceykutty
Gandharvam
as Graceykutty
Oru Kadankatha Pole
Oru Kadankatha Pole
Kalippattam
as Sarojam's mother
Kalippattam
as Sarojam's mother
Chenkol
as Ammu
Chenkol
as Ammu
Maya Mayooram
Maya Mayooram
Vatsalyam
as Janakiyamma
Vatsalyam
as Janakiyamma
Kavadiyattam
as Sethulakshmi
Kavadiyattam
as Sethulakshmi
Ithu Manjukaalam
Ithu Manjukaalam
Samagamam
as Annakutty
Samagamam
as Annakutty
Sopanam
as Sethulakshmi Varma
Sopanam
as Sethulakshmi Varma
Vietnam Colony
as Parvathiyammal
Vietnam Colony
as Parvathiyammal
Kudumbasametham
as Kochukutty Amma
Kudumbasametham
as Kochukutty Amma
Pappayude Swantham Appoos
Pappayude Swantham Appoos
Mahanagaram
Mahanagaram
Mukhamudra
as Lakshmi
Mukhamudra
as Lakshmi
Aayushkalam
as Aby Mathew's Mother
Aayushkalam
as Aby Mathew's Mother
Ponnurukkum Pakshi
Ponnurukkum Pakshi
Ulladakkam
as Sunny's Mother
Ulladakkam
as Sunny's Mother
Kizhakkunarum Pakshi
as Ananthu' Mother
Kizhakkunarum Pakshi
as Ananthu' Mother
Pookkalam Varavayi
as Nandan's Mother
Pookkalam Varavayi
as Nandan's Mother
Ezhunnallathu
Ezhunnallathu
Bharatham
as Devaki
Bharatham
as Devaki
Dhanam
as Sivasankarans mother
Dhanam
as Sivasankarans mother
Sandhesam
as Bhanumathi
Sandhesam
as Bhanumathi
Apoorvam Chilar
as Sarojam
Apoorvam Chilar
as Sarojam
Aparahnam
as Janakiyamma
Aparahnam
as Janakiyamma
Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu
as Nurse Leeladevi
Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu
as Nurse Leeladevi
Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom
as Vinayachandran's Mother
Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom
as Vinayachandran's Mother
In Harihar Nagar
as Andrews's mother
In Harihar Nagar
as Andrews's mother
Rajavazhcha
as Naniyamma
Rajavazhcha
as Naniyamma
His Highness Abdullah
as Bhagirathi Valiya Thampurati
His Highness Abdullah
as Bhagirathi Valiya Thampurati
Purappadu
Purappadu
Mazhavilkavadi
as Velayudhankutty's Mother
Mazhavilkavadi
as Velayudhankutty's Mother
Dasharatham
as Chandradas's mother
Dasharatham
as Chandradas's mother
Kireedam
as Ammu
Kireedam
as Ammu
Adhipan
as Shyam Prakash's mother
Adhipan
as Shyam Prakash's mother
Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal
as Devaki
Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal
as Devaki
Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam
as Mariamma
Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam
as Mariamma
Vandanam
as Unnikrishnan's mother
Vandanam
as Unnikrishnan's mother
Jaathakam
as Janaki
Jaathakam
as Janaki
Unnikrishnante Adyathe Christmas
Unnikrishnante Adyathe Christmas
Mukthi
as Madhaviyamma
Mukthi
as Madhaviyamma
Sathya
as Malayali shop-owner
Sathya
as Malayali shop-owner
Achuvettante Veedu
Achuvettante Veedu
Thaniyavarthanam
Thaniyavarthanam
Nakhakshathangal
Nakhakshathangal
Manasilloru Manimuthu
Manasilloru Manimuthu
Iniyum Kurukshetrum
as Kartyayani
Iniyum Kurukshetrum
as Kartyayani
Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki
Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki
Adhyayam Onnu Muthal
as Maash
Adhyayam Onnu Muthal
as Maash
Makan Ente Makan
as Paaruvamma
Makan Ente Makan
as Paaruvamma
Ee Thanalil Ithiri Neram
Ee Thanalil Ithiri Neram
Thirakal
as Madhaviyamma
Thirakal
as Madhaviyamma
Manithali
as Zulfikar's mother
Manithali
as Zulfikar's mother
Kanamarayathu
as Mother Superior
Kanamarayathu
as Mother Superior
Ariyaatha Veethikal
as Janakiyamma
Ariyaatha Veethikal
as Janakiyamma
Face to Face
Face to Face
Marakkillorikkalum
as Sharada
Marakkillorikkalum
as Sharada
Nathi Muthal Nathi Vare
as Lakshmi
Nathi Muthal Nathi Vare
as Lakshmi
Sesham Kazhchayil
as Susheela
Sesham Kazhchayil
as Susheela
Mansoru Maha Samudram
as Devaki
Mansoru Maha Samudram
as Devaki
Beedi Kunjamma
as Madhavan's Mother
Beedi Kunjamma
as Madhavan's Mother
Ilakkangal
as Valiyamma
Ilakkangal
as Valiyamma
Thrishna
as Chinnammu
Thrishna
as Chinnammu
Oppol
Oppol
Manushya Mrugam
as Babu's Mother
Manushya Mrugam
as Babu's Mother
Thirayum Theeravum
as Mohan's mother
Thirayum Theeravum
as Mohan's mother
Satyavan Savithri
Satyavan Savithri
Minimol
Minimol
Siva Thaandavam
Siva Thaandavam