Actress. A quitessentially typecast performer, she was the mother and grandmother to three generations of actresses and actors in around 500 Malayalam language films. A popular singer from around age 12, Ponnamma was a 29 year old school music teacher when asked to read for a stage production; though still young and attractive she played the lead character’s mother and the casting stuck. She made her silver screen debut in 1950’s “Sasidharan” and continued portraying maternal characters until her retirement following the 1997 “Janathipathyam”. Ponnamma received both state and national Best Supporting Actress Awards for 1995’s “Kathapurshan” and was honored with the J.C. Daniel Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. She died following a three week hospitalization for the effects of advanced age. (bio by: Bob Hufford)