Kaviyoor Ponnamma
Acting
Born September 10, 1945, Kaviyoor, Thiruvalla, Kerala
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
- Poacher — Mother Finn
- 2022Aaraattu — Voice (Uncredited)
- 2021Aanum Pennum — Sumathiyamma
- 2021Ammachi Koottile Pranayakalam — Pathumma
- 2019Mamangam — Puthumana Thampuratti
- 2017Achayans — Roy's Mother
- 2017Vedham — Hariharan's mother
- 2016Oppam — Jayaraman's valiyammayi
- 2016Pa.Va — Agnes / Sister amma
- 2016Poyi Maranju Parayathe...
- 2016Thoppil Joppan — Marykutty
- 2014Avatharam — Madhavan's Mother
- 2013Ginger — Vivekanandan's mother
- 2013Kadal Kadannu Oru Maathukutty — Mariyamma
- 2012Mr. Marumakan — Bhavani Amma
- 2011Christian Brothers — Joseph Vadakkan's mother
- 2011Collector — Avinash's and Mahendran's mother
- 2011Ithu Nammude Katha — Saraswathy
- 20092 Harihar Nagar — Andrew's mother
- 2009Evidam Swargamanu — Elssama
- 2009Kappalu Muthalali — Devaki
- 2009Meghatheertham
- 2008Gulmohar — Devaki
- 2008Kavyam
- 2008Manjadikuru — Devayani
- 2008Twenty 20 — Bharathi Amma
- 2007Anchil Oral Arjunan — Sudheendran's mother
- 2006Baba Kalyani — Meenakshiyamma
- 2006Vadakkumnadhan — Rugmavathi Amma
- 2004Mampazhakkalam — Lakshmi
- 2004Natturajavu — Charlie's Mother
- 2004Njaan Salperu Raman Kutty — Devaki
- 2004Runway — Bharathi
- 2004Vismayathumbathu — Sreekumar's Mother
- 2003Ammakilikkoodu — Marykutty Teacher
- 2003Hariharan Pilla Happy Aanu — Padmavathiyamma
- 2003Mr. Brahmachari — Subhadramma
- 2003Pattanathil Sundaran — Bhavaniyamma
- 2002Nandanam — Unni Amma
- 2001Kakkakuyil — Sethu Lakshmi Bhai / Thampuratty
- 2001Uthaman — Jayaraj's Mother
- 2000Arayannangalude Veedu — Lakshmi
- 1999Ezhupunna Tharakan — Kunjannamma
- 1999Njangal Santhushtaranu — Mother of the orphanage
- 1999Pallavur Devanarayanan — Bhageerathi
- 1999The Godman — Amarnath's Mother
- 1998Amma Ammayiamma — Sarada
- 1998Kottaram Veettile Apputtan — Appottan's mother
- 1998Poothiruvathira Raavil
- 1998Priyuralu
- 1997Itha Oru Snehagatha
- 1995Karma
- 1995Mannar Mathai Speaking — Meera's Mother
- 1995Minnaminuginum Minnukettu
- 1995No: 1 Snehatheeram Banglore North — Vijayabhaskar's mother
- 1995Saadaram
- 1994Chukkan
- 1994Kudumba Visesham — Bharathi
- 1994Njan Kodiswaran — Janaki
- 1994Santhanagopalam
- 1994Sukrutham
- 1994Thenmavin Kombath — Yeshodhamma
- 1994Vendor Daniel State Licency — Annamma Daniel
- 1993Chenkol — Ammu
- 1993Gandharvam — Graceykutty
- 1993Ithu Manjukaalam
- 1993Kalippattam — Sarojam's mother
- 1993Kavadiyattam — Sethulakshmi
- 1993Maya Mayooram
- 1993Oru Kadankatha Pole
- 1993Samagamam — Annakutty
- 1993Sopanam — Sethulakshmi Varma
- 1993Vatsalyam — Janakiyamma
- 1992Aayushkalam — Aby Mathew's Mother
- 1992Kudumbasametham — Kochukutty Amma
- 1992Mahanagaram
- 1992Mukhamudra — Lakshmi
- 1992Pappayude Swantham Appoos
- 1992Ponnurukkum Pakshi
- 1992Vietnam Colony — Parvathiyammal
- 1991Aparahnam — Janakiyamma
- 1991Apoorvam Chilar — Sarojam
- 1991Bharatham — Devaki
- 1991Dhanam — Sivasankarans mother
- 1991Ezhunnallathu
- 1991Kizhakkunarum Pakshi — Ananthu' Mother
- 1991Pookkalam Varavayi — Nandan's Mother
- 1991Sandhesam — Bhanumathi
- 1991Ulladakkam — Sunny's Mother
- 1990Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu — Nurse Leeladevi
- 1990His Highness Abdullah — Bhagirathi Valiya Thampurati
- 1990In Harihar Nagar — Andrews's mother
- 1990Kattukuthira — Manka
- 1990Kuruppinte Kanakku Pustakom — Vinayachandran's Mother
- 1990Midhya — Rajagopal's Mother
- 1990Purappadu
- 1990Rajavazhcha — Naniyamma
- 1989Adhipan — Shyam Prakash's mother
- 1989Dasharatham — Chandradas's mother
- 1989Jaathakam — Janaki
- 1989Kireedam — Ammu
- 1989Mazhavilkavadi — Velayudhankutty's Mother
- 1989Muthukkudayum Choodi
- 1989Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam — Mariamma
- 1989Peruvannapurathe Visheshangal — Devaki
- 1989Ulsavapittennu — Kalyaniyamma
- 1989Vandanam — Unnikrishnan's mother
- 19881921
- 1988Mukthi — Madhaviyamma
- 1988Sathya — Malayali shop-owner
- 1988Unnikrishnante Adyathe Christmas
- 1988Vidaparayan Mathram
- 1987Achuvettante Veedu
- 1987Anantaram — Yoginiyamma
- 1987Irupatham Noottandu — Meenakshiyamma
- 1987Oru Maymasa Pulariyil
- 1987Thaniyavarthanam
- 1986Ennu Nathante Nimmi — Nirmala's grandmother
- 1986Iniyum Kurukshetrum — Kartyayani
- 1986Kshamichu Ennoru Vakku — Shanthamma
- 1986Manasilloru Manimuthu
- 1986Nakhakshathangal
- 1986Namukku Parkkan Munthiri Thoppukal — Reetha
- 1986Sukhamo Devi
- 1985Adhyayam Onnu Muthal — Maash
- 1985Angadikkappurathu — Rosi
- 1985Ee Thanalil Ithiri Neram
- 1985Ente Ammu Ninte Thulasi Avarude Chakki
- 1985Makan Ente Makan — Paaruvamma
- 1985Thinkalazhcha Nalla Divasam — Janakikutty
- 1984Ariyaatha Veethikal — Janakiyamma
- 1984Face to Face
- 1984Kanamarayathu — Mother Superior
- 1984Kodathi — Venu's mother
- 1984Manithali — Zulfikar's mother
- 1984Swanthamevide Bandhamevide — Lakshmi
- 1984Thirakal — Madhaviyamma
- 1983Enikku Vishakunnu — Chinamma
- 1983Mansoru Maha Samudram — Devaki
- 1983Marakkillorikkalum — Sharada
- 1983Nathi Muthal Nathi Vare — Lakshmi
- 1983Sesham Kazhchayil — Susheela
- 1982Balloon
- 1982Beedi Kunjamma — Madhavan's Mother
- 1982Chiriyo Chiri
- 1982Ilakkangal — Valiyamma
- 1982Kaaliya Mardhanam
- 1981Maniyanpilla Adhava Maniyanpilla
- 1981Oppol
- 1981Thrishna — Chinnammu
- 1981Vayal
- 1980Agni Saram
- 1980Anthappuram
- 1980Chamaram — Ravi's Mother
- 1980Kaantha Valayam — Mariyamma
- 1980Karimpana
- 1980Love in Singapore
- 1980Manushya Mrugam — Babu's Mother
- 1980Moorkhan
- 1980Thirayum Theeravum — Mohan's mother
- 1979The Evil Deeds of Cheriyachan
- 1978Aniyara
- 1978Avalude Ravukal — Lakshmi
- 1978Eeta
- 1978Kodiyettam — Kamalamma
- 1978Kudumbam Namukku Sreekovil
- 1978Randilonnu
- 1978Rathinirvedam — Saraswathi
- 1978Uthrada Rathri
- 1977Achaaram Ammini Osharam Omana — Dhakshayani
- 1977Itha Ivide Vare — Kamalakshi
- 1977Jagadguru Aadisankaran — Kaippilly Aryadevi Antarjanam, Mother of Sankaracharyar
- 1977Minimol
- 1977Nirakudam
- 1977Oonjaal
- 1977Satyavan Savithri
- 1977Siva Thaandavam
- 1977Sree Murugan — Kamalakshi
- 1976Amba Ambika Ambalika — Old Sathyavathi
- 1976Amrithavaahini — Lakshmi
- 1976Appooppan
- 1976Aruthu
- 1976Innale Innu
- 1976Thulaavarsham
- 1975Makkal — Leela
- 1975Mattoru Seetha
- 1975Prayanam — Amminiyamma
- 1975Thiruvonam
- 1975Tourist Bungalow
- 1975Utsavam — Mother of Gopi
- 1974Arakkallan Mukkalkkallan — Queen Lakshmi
- 1974Chakravakam — Soshamma
- 1974Devi Kanyakumari — Old Lady
- 1974Nellu — Savithri Varassyar
- 1973Divyadharsanam
- 1973Nirmalyam — Velichapad's Wife
- 1973Ponnapuram Kotta
- 1972Akkarapacha — Bhageerathi
- 1972Aromalunni — Thumbolarcha
- 1972Gandharavakshetram — Kalamezhuthu Singer
- 1972Manthrakodi — Saraswathi
- 1972Puthrakameshti
- 1972Snehadeepame Mizhi Thurakku
- 1972Sree Guruvayoorappan
- 1972Theerthayathra — Kochikkaavu
- 1971Aabhijathyam — Janaki Amma
- 1971Karakanakadal — Tharathi
- 1971Vithukal — Ammini
- 1970Cross Belt — Bhavani
- 1970Nizhalattam — Ravi's Mother
- 1970Othenante makan — Naani
- 1970Thriveni — Parvathy
- 1970Vivahitha
- 1969Aalmaram — Ammini Amma
- 1968Velutha Kathreena — Marthappulayi
- 1967Anweshichu Kandethiyilla
- 1965Daham
- 1965Odayil Ninnu — Kalyani
Appearances as themselves (1)
- Lal Salam — Self