Kochi: Veteran Malayalam actor Kaviyoor Ponnamma passed away at Lisie hospital here on Friday. She was 79. The actor was in critical condition at the hospital. Ponnamma, who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in May last year, was admitted to the hospital on September 3. She breathed her last on Friday evening after her condition detriorated, hospital authorities said.

Her mortal remains will be kept at Municipal Townhall, Kalamassery from 9 am to 12 noon on Saturday for the public to pay homage. The cremation will take place on her house premises at Aluva at 4 pm. At present, her mortal remains are kept at the hospital.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan mourned the demise of the actor through his Facebook page. He pointed out Ponnamma's contributions as a theatre artist and film actor. 

Ponnamma who started her acting career through theatre at the age of 14 acted in over 1000 films. She was known for mother roles of actors like Prem Naseer, Sathyan, Madhu, Soman, Mohanlal and Mammootty. Interestingly, she played Mohanlal's mother in over 50 films.

Ponnamma had donned different — even negative — roles in Malayalam cinema. She had bankrolled a movie, 'Meghatheertham', and was the recipient of the state award for the best supporting actress four times.  Movie producer, director, and scenarist the late Mani Swami was her husband. Bindu is the couple's daughter. Son-in-law Venaktram is a professor at the University of Michigan in the US. 

Ponnamma was born to TP Damodaran and Gauriamma at Kaviyoor in Pathanamthitta in 1945. She has six siblings, including the late actor Kaviyoor Renuka. 
Ponnamma's family shifted residence to Ponkunnam in Kottayam when she was one year old. Influenced by her father, she started learning music from an early age. She wished to be an accomplished singer like MS Subbulakshmi.

Music director Devarajan invited Ponnamma to sing for plays when she was 12 years old. She sang first for "Mooladhanam", penned by Thoppil Bhasi. Later, when the theatre group could not find a lead actress for the same play, she donned the grease paint for the first time at Bhasi's insistence. 

Ponnamma went on to become the leading actress of KPAC. She was later associated with other prominent theatre groups, including Pratibha Arts Club and Kalidasa Kalakendram. Her performances in plays such as 'Puthiya Aakasham Puthiya Bhoomi', 'Doctor', 'Althara', and 'Janani Janmabhoomi', were widely appreciated. 

Ponnamma debuted in cinema at the age of 14. It was at the insistence of Thankappan Master, the dance instructor at Kalidasa Kalakendram. The movie was 'Sree Rama Pattabhishekam' of Merryland, and Ponnamma played Mandodari. She first donned the role of a mother in 'Kudumbini'. In 'Thommante Makkal', she played the mother of Sathyan and Madhu. 

She later acted in about 1,000 movies, including in the cinemas of prominent filmmakers PN Menon, Vincent, MT Vasudevan Nair, Ramu Kariat, KS Sethumadhavan, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, John Abraham, Padmarajan and Mohan.

'Asuravithu', 'Velutha Kathrina', 'Cross Belt', 'Karakaanakadal', 'Theerthayatra'. 'Nirmalyam', 'Nellu', 'Avalude Raavukal', 'Kodiyettam', 'Oppol', 'Karimbana', 'Thinkalazhcha Nalla Divasam', 'Thriveni', 'Nizhalaattam',  'Thaniyaavarthanam', 'Naghakshathangal', 'His Highness Abdullah', 'Kireedam', 'Chenkol', 'Bharatham', 'Santhanagopalam', 'Sukrutham' etc., were her prominent movies.