Kerala’s ‘screen mother’ Ponnamma dies at 96

TRIVANDRUM - Aranmula Ponnamma, the quintessential mother and grandmother of Malayalam cinema, passed away on Monday.

The 96-year-old actress, who was hospitalised for more than a week following a bone fracture, died at a private hospital here around 6pm, according to family sources. She is survived by two daughters. Her body will be cremated at Shanthi Kavadam here in the evening on Tuesday.

Ponnamma, who made her debut as an actress in a play at the age of 29, acted in more than 500 films in her long career spanning more than six decades. She made her entry into the film world in 1950 with the film Sasidharan, in which she played mother of late actress Miss Kumari.

With a few other mother roles, Ponnamma got soon typecasted in mother roles and emerged as the most favourite on-screen mother of Malayalam movie audience.