Kaviyoor Ponnamma passes away: Mammootty, Suresh Gopi, Mukesh, and others mourn the demise of the veteran actress

Veteran Malayalam actress Kaviyoor Ponnamma passed away on Friday (Sep 20) evening. She was 79. She was reportedly admitted to a private hospital in Kochi several weeks ago, due to ill health, where she breathed her last. According to reports, she was mostly confined to a hospital bed lately, and her condition worsened in the past few days. Her health apparently became critical on Thursday.

The veteran actress’ demise has left the Malayalam film industry devastated. Kaviyoor Ponnamma, who is best known for playing mother roles in films, was a mother-like figure to many actors including the superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal. The celebs have taken to social media to express their grief.

Mammootty shared a heartwarming picture of Kaviyoor Ponnamma affectionately giving him a peck on the cheek and captioned, "Condolences to dear Ponnamma Chechi..."

Mukesh, who has worked with Kaviyoor Ponnamma several times penned a heartwarming note on her demise. The actor also recalled that it was Kaviyoor Ponnamma, who played the role of his mother in his debut film.

Suresh Gopi, who has also acted with the veteran actress was devastated to know about her demise. “Condolences to Malayalam's mother, and my dear Ponnamma chechi,” he wrote.

Actor-filmmaker Revathy Asha penned a note celebrating Kaviyoor Ponnamma's life and career. Her note reads, "Ponamma Chechi - an actress who started acting at a very young age, spanning 65 years in our film industry. Her smile and warmth will always be remembered. My salutations to her!!! May her soul rest in peace."

Meera Jasmine penned, “Some losses feel very personal. Nithya Shanthi.”

Aashiq Abu, who has worked with Kaviyoor Ponnamma in her last film 'Aanum Pennum', dropped a lovely picture with her and remembered her.

Tovino Thomas, Dileep, Nivin Pauly, Asif Ali, Nikhila Vimal, Manoj K Jayan, Antony Varghese, and Aju Varghese among others expressed their grief on the veteran’s passing away.

Born in 1945 in Kaviyoor, Thiruvalla, Kaviyoor Ponnamma's inclination towards acting was nurtured early on. Her acting career began at the age of 14 playing drama
. She made her debut in films in the 1950s and has worked in over 700 films over the decades. She is best known for her mother roles, and her combinations especially with Mohanlal have always won the hearts of the audiences. Her portrayal of mother roles, and grandmother roles alongside even some of her contemporaries made her a household name amongst the Malayali movie buffs.

In her illustrious career, she has acted opposite legendary actors such as Sathyan, Prem Nazir, Mammootty, Mohanlal, and Suresh Gopi among others. In her elaborate career spanning over six decades, Kaviyoor Ponnamma has won numerous awards including the Kerala State government’s prestigious film awards.

Kaviyoor Ponnamma was keeping away from the limelight of late, after her health deteriorated. Her last outing was the 2021 release ‘Aanum Pennum’ , an anthology.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”