Aranmula Ponnamma

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 children actor Gokul Suresh is her great-grandson.

Career Ponnamma's acting debut happened at the age of 29, in a play titled Bhagyalakshmi. 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."

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

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

Dramas Bhagyalakshmi Rakthabandham Chechi Jeevithayathra Prasanna Randu Janmam