The Malayalam film industry paid tribute to Kaviyoor Ponnamma, the beloved mother of Malayalam cinema. Numerous film personalities, including Mohanlal, Mammootty, Siddique, Kunchacko Boban, Manoj K. Jayan, and directors like Renji Panicker and B. Unnikrishnan, flocked to the Kalamassery Municipal Town Hall to pay their last respects.
Ponnamma, who was undergoing treatment for cancer, passed away on Friday evening at 5:30 pm at Lisie Hospital, Ernakulam. Public viewing will be held at the Kalamassery Town Hall from 9 am to 12 pm on Saturday, followed by the funeral at her residence in Karumaloor, near Aluva, at 4 pm.
She is survived by her daughter Bindu, who resides in the US, and son-in-law Venkataram, a professor at the University of Michigan. Her late husband, Mani Swamy, was a director and screenwriter, and the late actress Kaviyoor Renuka was her sister.
Ponnamma entered the world of theatre at the age of 15 and made her cinematic debut four years later. At 21, she played the role of a mother in the film. Following that, she primarily portrayed mature characters. She graced the Malayalam film industry for six decades, shining in motherly roles, and acted in over 800 films.
