Aranmula Ponnamma (8 April 1914 – 21 February 2011) was an Indian actress known for her roles as mother of the protagonist in numerous films in a career spanning over five decades. She is widely described as a mother figure in Malayalam cinema. In 2005, she was honoured with the J. C. Daniel Award, Kerala government's highest honour for contributions to Malayalam cinema.

Early life Ponnamma was born as one of five children of M. Kesava Pillai of the Malethu house and Parukutty Amma in Aranmula, Old Quilon, Travancore (present-day Pathanamthitta district). She has four siblings, Ramakrishna Pillai, Pankiyamma, Bhaskara Pillai and Thankamma. She started her career at the age of 12 as a Carnatic music vocalist. She began by singing before meetings organised by the Hindu Mahamandal on the banks of the Pampa river. At the age of 15, she was appointed as a music teacher in a primary school in Pala, before starting to teach in the senior classes. Later she joined the first batch of students at the Swati Tirunal Music Academy. After the course, she was appointed as the music teacher in Cotton Hill Girls' High School in Trivandrum.

Family She was married to late Kochu Krishna Pillai. The couple had a daughter, late Rajamma and a son, late Rajashekharan. Her granddaughter Radhika Suresh, herself a singer, is married to Suresh Gopi, and their son actor Gokul Suresh is her great-grandson.

Career Ponnamma's acting debut happened at the age of 29, in a play titled Bhagyalakshmi. Before making her film debut, she went on to perform in plays like Prasanna, Chechi, Jeevithayathra, and Rakthabandham. Her debut role was that of the mother of the character played by Miss Kumari, a prominent actress at that time, in Sasidharan (1950). The same year she did another role as a mother in the Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair starrer Amma, which was the first film of noted producer T. E. Vasudevan and also the 18th Malayalam film. In 1968, she acted in the film Viruthan Shanku directed by P. Venu, the first full-length comedy in Malayalam cinema. She was typecasted in mother roles. In her own words: "I did play a negative role in Paadunna Puzha and that of a wayward woman in Yachakan. But after that I was always cast as the mother. As the mother of two children, I was very comfortable in that role. My role model was my mother, Parukutty Amma, who had to look after her five children on her own after my father, Malethu Kesava Pillai, passed away when I was nine. In fact, in Amma, my fifth film, I was merely acting as my mother." In her career spanning over 60 years, she acted as the mother or grandmother of first generation actors like Thikkurissy Sukumaran Nair, second generation actors like Prem Nazir and Sathyan and third generation actors like Mammootty, Mohanlal and Suresh Gopi.

She appeared last in the film Gourisankaram (2004). She died on 21 February 2011, aged 96, at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

Awards National Film Awards 1996: Best Supporting Actress - Kathapurushan

Kerala State Film Awards 2005: J. C. Daniel Award 1996: Second Best Actress - Kathapurushan

Asianet Film Awards 1998: Lifetime Achievement Award

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes 2003 Gourisankaram - 2003 Swapnam Kondu Thulabharam Ammu's grandmother 2000 Indriyam Muthassi BaalapattangalAmmoomma Short film Parajayathil Patharatha Karmayogi- Documentary Malayala Cinemayude Karnavar- Documentary 1997 JanathipathyamThirumupad's mother 1997Lelam Revathi Thirunal thampuratti 1996 Kadhapurushan Muthassi 1995 Sindoorarekha Muthassi 1995Puthukottayile Puthumanavalan Achamma 1995 HighwayVinod's grandmother 1994 TharavaduRajani's grandmother 1994 Sagaram SakshiDevotee 1994 Sudhinam Bhargavi Amma 1994 Njan Kodiswaran Muthassi 1993 Maya MayooramNarendran's grandmother 1993Aakashadoothu Annamma 1993 KalipattamVenu's grandmother 1992 Kingini Mahesh's grandmother 1992 Savidam Ramji's cheriyamma 1991 Adwaytham Muthassi 1991VishnulokamSavithri's grandmother 1990 Champion ThomasValiammachi 1990 PurappaduElippennu 1989 Oru Sayahnathinte Swapnam Saraswathiyamma 1989 Aazhikkoru Muthu Prabhakarar's mother 1987 Kanikanum NeramMuthassi 1987 Achuvettante Veedu Achuthankutty's Mother 1987 Swargam Jayan's mother 1986Rareeram Nandakumar's Mother 1986Kaveri Balu's Mother 1985 Madhuvidhu Theerum Munpe 1985 Navadakku Paniyedukku 1985 Vellam - 1985Puzhayozhugum Vazhi Hari's Mother 1985Azhiyatha Bandhangal Meenakshi 1985 PathamudayamB. G. Menon's Sister 1984 Poomadathe PennuMuthassi 1983 Prem Nazirine Kanmanilla Herself 1983 Ahankaram Sreedevi 1983 Pallankuzhi 1983 Enne Njan Thedunnu Parukuttyamma 1983 BandhamMuthassi 1982 Vazhvey Maayam Paatti Tamil filmDubbed for herself in Malayalam dubbed version "Premabhishekam" also 1982 Yagam 1982 Ee Nadu Parvathiyamma 1982 Drohi 1982 Ente Shathrukkal 1982 Ithum Oru Jeevitham Madhavi 1981 Archana TeacherSukumaran's aunt 1981 Ira Thedunna Manushyar 1981 Manassinte Theerthayathra Muthassi 1981Sneham Oru Pravaaham 1981Arikkari Ammu 1981 Dhanya 1981Aakramanam Devakiyamma 1981Neruppile Pootha Malar Tamil movie 1980 Ambalavilakku Savithri's Mother-in-law 1980 Thirayum Theeravum Muthassi 1980 Makaravilakku 1980Oppol 1980Theekadal Balakrishnan's Mother 1980 Avan Oru Ahankari 1980Swantham Enna Padam Sunil's grandmother 1980Seetha 1979 Lajjavathi 1979 Rajaveedhi 1979 Bharyaye Aavashyamundu 1979 Prabhathasandhya 1979 Amrithachumbanam 1979 Oru Ragam Pala Thalam 1979 Venalil Oru Mazha 1979 Enikku Njaan Swantham Madhavankutty's mother 1979 TharangamMadhu's mother 1979 Ivide Kattinu Sugantham Pushkaran's grandmother 1979 Sayoojyam Saraswathy 1978 Aanappachan Sarojiniyamma 1978PremashilpiPrakash's mother 1978Uthradarathri - 1978 Hemantharathri - 1978 Avar Jeevikkunnu 1978 Kodiyettam Neighbour 1978 Rowdy Ramu Lakshmykuttyamma 1978 Urakkam Varatha Rathrikal 1978 Naalumanippookkal 1978 Rapadikalude Gatha 1978 Njan Njan Mathram 1978 PadasaramBhavani 1978 Ahalya 1978 Kaithappo - 1977 Yudhakandam Amma 1977 Sathyavan Savithri - 1977Vidarunna Mottukal Gopal's mother 1977 Sree MurukanBharathi 1976 Hridayam Oru Kshethram Ramesh's mother 1975 MakkalGouriyamma 1975 Sathyathinte Nizhalil - 1975 Swami Ayyappan 1974 Youvanam Ravi's mother 1974 Devi Kanyakumari - 1973 Swapnam Viswanathan's mother 1973 Ponnapuram Kotta Kunjikanni 1972Sree Guruvayoorappan - 1972 Prathikaram Raju's mother 1971Muthassi Muthassi 1971Kochaniyathi Mohan's Mother 1970 Engirundho Vandhaal Shanthavalli Tamil film 1970 Kurukshethram 1970Pearl View Pristina 1970SthreeDevakiyamma 1970Madhuvidhu Gopi's Mother 1970Ambalapravu Saraswathiyamma 1970 Lottery Ticket 1970 Dathuputhran Kunjachan's mother 1970 Cross Belt Ammukuttiyamma 1970Thara Kamalamma 1970Nilakkatha Chalanangal 1969 Mannippu Dhanam AmmalTamil Film 1969 Padicha KallanSaraswathiyamma 1969 Jwala Saraswathiyamma 1969 Poojapushppam - 1969 SusiThresiamma 1969 Vila Kuranja Manushyan 1969 Kumara Sambhavam Minavati 1968 Adhyapika - 1968 Love In Kerala Mother of Chandran and Shankar 1968Agnipareeksha Mohan's Mother 1968Padunna Puzha Bhanumathiyamma 1968Kodugalooramma Kavunthi 1968Vidyarthi 1968Hotel High Range Ramesh's mother 1968Midumidukki - 1968 Viruthan Shanku Kunjulakshmi 1967 Lady Doctor Shoshamma 1967 Collector MalathiSubhadramma 1967Agniputhri Saraswathi 1967Kavalam Chundan Saraswathi Kunjamma 1967 Pavapettaval Bhavaniyamma 1967 Pareeksha Lakshmi 1966Priyathama - 1966 Tharavattamma Lakshmiyamma 1966 Archana Meenakshiyamma/Rajagopalan's Mother 1966 Koottukar Kunjamma 1966Puthri Layamma 1966Archana Meenakshiyamma 1965 Mayavi Raghu's mother 1965 Muthalali Saraswathiyamma 1965 Kaliyodam Janakiyamma 1965Shakunthala Gauthami 1964Atom Bomb Janaki 1964 ManavattiBabu's mother 1964 KudumbiniParukuttiyamma 1964 BharthavuKalyaniyamma 1964 Karuthakai Radha's aunt 1964 Kalajukittiya Thankam Sharada 1964School Master Jaanu 1963Kalayum Kaminiyum Usha's mother 1963 Kaattu Maina - 1962 Snehadeepam Kalyani 1962 Veluthambi DalawaDalawa's mother 1962SreeramapattabhisekhamKausalya 1962 KalpadukalAntharjanam 1962Viyarppinte Vila Amma 1961FACT Documentary 1961 Kandam Becha Kottu Amina 1961Umminithanka Abhirama 1961Bhakta Kuchela Yashoda 1961 Jnana Sundari Maharani 1961Christmas Rathri Annamma 1960Poothali Madhan Menon's sister 1958MariakuttyAchamma 1957 Padathapainkili Kunjandamma 1957 Thaskaraveeran SanthaLa 1956 Koodapirappu - 1956Manthravadi Susheeladevi 1956Avar Unarunnu Bharathi 1955 Aniyathi Kalyaniyamma 1955 Kaalam Maarunnu 1954Balyasakhi Parvathiyamma 1953 Asai Magan Tamil film 1953PonkathirMadhu's mother 1953Ashadeepam Lakshmiyamma 1953Lokaneedhi Devakiyamma 1952Amma Lakshmiyamma 1952Kaanchana Ponnammal 1952Aathmashanthi Janakiyamma 1951Yachakan Anandam 1950 ChechiKankam 1950Chandrika Saralabhai 1950 Sasidharan Kalyaniyamma

Television Akashadoothu (Surya TV) - 2011 Kadamattathu Kathanar (Asianet) - 2004 Chuvappu Naada Akshayapaathram Mangalyasoothram

Dramas Bhagyalakshmi Rakthabandham Chechi Jeevithayathra Prasanna Randu Janmam

References

External links