Nilambur Ayisha

Early life Ayisha was born in Nilambur, in the erstwhile Madras Presidency. She grew up in a wealthy family and developed an interest in the arts from a young age. At the age of 13, she was married to a 47-year-old man; however, the marriage ended after five days. She later raised her child as a single mother.

Acting career Ayisha began her career in theatre in the 1950s. She made her stage debut in 1953, at the age of 16, in playwright E. K. Ayamu's Ijju Nalloru Mansanakan Nokku (1953). The production was staged more than 2,500 times across different parts of the country. She subsequently worked with theatre personalities including K. T. Muhammed, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Khan Kavil, and P. J. Antony. She also played leading roles in K. T. Muhammed's plays Ithu Bhoomiyanu, Theekkanal, Srishti, and Kafir.

Ayisha made her film debut in the 1961 Hindi film Elephant Queen, directed by Rajendra. She portrayed a woman from a hunting family and was cast after the production was filmed in her hometown. Later that year, she made her Malayalam film debut with Kandam Becha Kottu. She subsequently appeared in films including Subaida, Kuttikkuppayam, Olavum Theeravum and Kuppivala.

Awards and honours In 2002, Ayisha received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for Drama. She has received the S.L. Puram State Prize for her overall contribution to theatre. She won the Kerala State Film Award for the Second Best Actress for her role in Oomakkuyil Padumbol in 2011. She was also awarded Premji Award in the year 2011.

Ayisha's life was the subject of the 2023 Malayalam-language biographical film Ayisha, in which Manju Warrier portrayed her. The film was directed by Aamir Pallikkal and produced by Zakariya Mohammed.

Partial filmography

Elephant (1961) as Woman in hunting family (Hindi film) Kandam Becha Kottu (1961) as Bethatha Laila Majnu (1962) Kutti Kuppayam (1964) Subaidha (1965) as Subaidha's mother Kuppivala (1965) as Pathiri Aminumma Kaathirunna Nikkah (1965) as Amina Kattupookkal (1965) Thommante Makkal (1965) Kavyamela (1965) as Bhavaniyamma Thankakkudam (1965) as Payasakkaran's wife Chemmeen (1966) Olavum Theeravum (1970) as Ayisha Pathiraavum Pakalvelichavum (1974) Kaathirunna Nimisham (1978) as Ramu's mother Chuvanna Vithukal (1978) Thenthulli (1979) Nalumanipookkal (1979) Anyarude Bhoomi (1979) Thraasam (1981) Mylanji (1982) (Ayishumma) Vaalkkannadi (1992) Ammakkilkoodu (2003) as Inmate of old age home Nizhalattam (2005) Chandrolsavam (2005) as Indu's mother Makalkku (2005) as Mental patient Daivanamathil (2005) as Ammayi Paradesi (2007) as Sainu Kaiyoppu (2007) as Beeyathu Shakespeare M.A. Malayalam (2008) as Mentally challenged man's mother Shalabham (2008) as Villager Vilapangalkkappuram (2008) as Valyumma Passenger (2009) as Nabisa Umma Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (2009) Keralolsavam 2009 (2009) as Basheer's umma Entumma (2009) as Umma Khilafath Oru Manjukalam as Lakshmikuttiyamma Njangalude Veedu Nilavinte Muthu Oomakkuyil Padumbol (2012) as Mansoor's umma Kuthanthra Siromani Bioscope (2013) Ms. Lekha Tharoor Kanunnathu (2013) as Deceased patient in hospital Balyakalasakhi (2014) as Jinnumma Koothara (2014) as Thufail's mother Pedithondan (2014) as Umma Alif (2015) as Ummakunju/Fathima's grandmother Compartment (2015) as Devi Nikkah (2015) as Aasiyumma Pakal Mayum Mumoe (2016) Pravasalokam (2016) as Najeeb's Ammayi Ka Bodyscapes (2016) as Kadeesumma Ayishakkalam (2017) Hello Dubaikkaran (2017) as Prakashan's grandmother Mattanchery (2018) Khalifa (2018) Koode (2018) as Grandmother Poochedi Poovinte Mottu (2019) Panthu (2019) as Amina's grandmother Virus (2019) as Staff of OP Counter, Hospital OP Kakshi Amminipilla (2019) as Quarrelling lady at court Mamangam (2019) as old woman in Chandroth family Udalazham (2019) as Housemaid Halal Love Story (2020) as actress in telefilm Baton Award (2020) Tharapori (2020) as Valyumma Mazhayathoru Veedu (2020) as Muthassi Niyathi (2021) Gift of Ummachi (2021) as Khadeesumma Khubboos (2022) Swami Saranam (2022) Olappurakkendhinoru Irumbuvaathil (2022) as Sparsham (2022) as Ammamma Vishnuvinte Umma (2022) as Vishnu's umma Rorschach (2022) as Shafi's mother Wonder Women (2022) as Mini's grandmother Aakasham Kadannu (2023) Nilambooritne Viplava Nakshathram Ennu Swantham Sreedharan (2023) Naattilellam Pattayi Kuruvipaappa (2023) Randam Naal (2023) Perumkaliyaattam (2024) Choppu (2025)

Television serials Rudraveena (Surya TV)

Dramas Karinkurangu Ithu Bhoomiyanu Ullathu Paranjal Ee Dhuniyavil Njan Ottakkanu Ijju Nalloru Mansanakan Nokku Kafir Theekkanal Srishti