Kaviyoor Ponnamma

Kaviyoor Ponnnamma
Born September 10, 1939 (1939-09-10) (age 72)
Kaviyoor, Travancore
Occupation Film actress
Spouse M.K.Mani

Kaviyoor Ponnamma is a Malayalam film actress. She won the Kerala State Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1971,1972,1973,and 1994.

Ponnamma was born in Kaviyoor village,near Tiruvalla to a conservative upper-class family. She had to face many hardships from the conservative Hindu society in Kaviyoor during her initial life as they were opposed to women from Hindu families taking up acting as a career. She has mainly acted as a mother figure to most of the Malayalam actors. She is sometimes referred to as "Mohanlal's Mother" because she has acted as his mother in a many of movies. The mother-son role of Mohanlal-Ponnamma has been accepted well by the audience.

We do not feel that we are acting and we do not plan. Reactions come spontaneously.

The name Kaviyoor Ponnamma brings to mind a comforting mother, dressed mostly in white saree. Few in this generation know that she has acted as the mother of Satyan and Madhu, many decades back. The movie was Thommande Makkal. Although younger than Thilakan, she had acted as Thilakan's mother in Periyar. The actress says about Ponnamma-Thilakan combination:

People used to love our combination and I used to get many letters appreciating the roles'

She has acted with Prem Nazir, Sathyan, Madhu, Jayan, Soman, Sukumaran, Vincent, Raghavan, Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Jayaram, Dileep and Prithviraj.

She has done a tele-film directed by Viji Thamby for Amritha TV.

Contents

Early life

As a five-year-old, she learnt music and used to sing in stage shows. She did not see many movies. She started acting in dramas when she was 14 year old, starting off with Mooladhanam of Thoppil Bhasi. After five years, came her first movie Kudumbini, in which she did the title role of the mother of two kids.

Personal life

Having stayed at Chennai for 37 years, Ponnamma is now settled in Aluva. Her husband M.K. Mani was a film producer. Their daughter is now in Chennai and son-in-law a professor at the Michigan University.[1]

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards:

Filmography

  1. Twenty:20 (2008)
  2. Mission 90 Days (2007)
  3. Anchil Oral Arjunan (2007)
  4. Baba Kalyani (2006) .... Kalyaniyamma
  5. Aanachandam (2006)
  6. Vadakkum Nathan (2006) .... Rugmavathi Amma
  7. Maampazhakkaalam (2004) .... Lakshmi
  8. Natturajavu (2004) .... Charlie's Mother
  9. Runway (2004) .... Bharathiyamma
  10. Vismayathumbathu (2004) .... Sreekumar's Mother
  11. Njaan Salperu Raman Kutty (2004)
  12. Pattanathil Sundaran (2003) .... Bhavaniyamma
  13. Ammakilikkoodu (2003) .... Marykutty Teacher
  14. Hariharan Pillai Happy Aanu (2003) .... Padmavathiyamma
  15. Mr. Brahmachari (2003) .... Ananthan Thampi's Mother
  16. Nandanam (2002) .... Unni Amma
  17. Uthaman (2001)
  18. Kakkakuyil (2001) .... Sethu Lakshmi Bhai 'Thampuratty'
  19. Arayannegalude Veedu (2000) .... Lakshmi

1990s

  1. Ezhupunna Tharakan (1999) .... Kunjannamma
  2. The Godman (1999) .... Amarnath's Mother
  3. Pallavur Devanarayanan (1999) .... Bhageerathi
  4. Amma Ammayiamma (1998) .... Sarada
  5. Poothiruvathiranalil (1998)
  6. Snehasindhooram (1997)
  7. Karma (1995)
  8. Mannar Mathai Speaking (1995) .... Meera's Mother
  9. Sadaram (1995) .... Bhanumathi
  10. Bheesmacharya (1994) .... Ponnutty
  11. Kudumba Visesham (1994) .... Bharathi
  12. Vatsalyam (1993) .... Janakiyamma
  13. Kavadiyattam (1993) .... Sethulakshmi
  14. Samagamam (1993) .... Annakutty
  15. Vietnam Colony (1993) .... Parvathiyammal
  16. Pappayude Swantham Appoos (1992)
  17. Mahanagaram (1992) .... Viswanathan's Mother
  18. Aparahnam (1991) .... Janakiyamma
  19. Apoorvam Chilar (1991) .... Sarojam
  20. Bharatham (1991)
  21. Dhanam (1991)
  22. Pookkalam Varavayi (1991) .... Nandan's Mother
  23. Sandesam (1991) .... Bhanumathi
  24. Ulladakkam (1991) .... Sunny's Mother
  25. Oliyampukal (1990) .... Baby's Mother
  26. Midhya (1990) .... Rajagopal's Mother
  27. His Highness Abdullah (1990) .... Bhageerathi
  28. In Harihar Nagar (1990) .... Andrew's Mother
  29. Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom (1990) .... Vinayachandran's Mother
  30. Rajavazhcha (1990) .... Naniyamma

1980s

  1. Dasharatham (1989) .... Chandradas' Mother
  2. Devadas (1989) .... Devadas' Mother
  3. Jaathakam (1989) .... Janaki
  4. Kireedam (1989) .... Ammu
  5. Aksharathettu (1989)
  6. Mathu Kudayum Choodi (1989)
  7. Mazhavil Kavadi (1989) .... Velayudhankutty's Mother
  8. Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam (1989) .... Mariyamma
  9. Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal (1989) .... Devaki
  10. Ulsavapittennu (1989) .... Kalyaniyamma
  11. Unnikrishnante Adyathe Christmas (1989) .... Aliyamma
  12. Mukthi (1988) .... Madhaviyamma
  13. Anantaram (1987) .... Yoginiyamma
  14. Thaniyavartanam (1987)
  15. Achuvettante Veedu (1987) .... Vipin's Mother
  16. Irupatham Noottandu (1987)
  17. Kshamichu Ennoru Vakku (1986) .... Shanthamma
  18. Iniyum Kurukshethram (1986) .... Gomathi
  19. Sughamodevi (1986) .... Nandan's Mother
  20. Karimpin Poovinakkare (1985) .... Bhadran's Mother
  21. Makan Ente Makan (1985) .... Paruvamma
  22. Adhyayam Onnu Muthal (1985) .... Lakshmi
  23. Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki (1985) .... Sathyabhama
  24. Thinkalazhcha Nalla Divasam (1985) .... Janakikutty
  25. Adiyozhukkukal (1984) .... Mariyamma
  26. Ariyatha Veethikal (1984) .... Janakiyamma
  27. Kanamarayathu (1984) .... Mother Superior
  28. Lakshmana Rekha (1984)
  29. Swanthamevide Bandhamevide (1984) .... Lakshmi
  30. Marakkillorikkalum (1983) .... Sharada
  31. Balloon (1982)
  32. Thrishna (1981) .... Chinnammu
  33. Agnisaram (1981)
  34. Orikkal Koodi (1981) .... Chandran's Mother
  35. Love in Singapore (1980) .... Premachandran's Mother
  36. Karimpana (1980)
  37. Manushya Mrugam (1980) .... Babu's Mother

1960s–70s

  1. Cheriyachante Kroora Krithyangal (1979)
  2. Mamangam (1979) .... Chathunni's Mother
  3. Eeta (1978)
  4. Rathi Nirvedham (1978)
  5. Acharam Ammini Osaram Omana (1977) .... Dakshayani
  6. Kodiyettam (1977) .... Kamalamma
  7. Devi Kanyakumari (1974) .... Old lady
  8. Nellu (1974) .... Savithri
  9. Nirmalayam (1973) .... Velichapad's Wife
  10. Nadhi (1969) .... Thresia
  11. Anveshichu Kandethiyilla (1967)

References

  1. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/17/stories/2005071700190200.htm