Kochi, Sep 19 (IANS): Kaviyoor Ponnamma, the most popular screen mother of most Malayalam actors was seriously ill, according to film industry sources.

She was now admitted to a private hospital here.

The 75-year-old actress, who has donned the grease paint in over 700 films, mostly Malayalam, has been ailing for a while due to age-related illness.

Starting her acting career in Malayalam drama in the late 1950s and later graduating to films, Ponnamma was the most sought-after actress to portray the role of a mother and a grandmother.

She has played the role of mother to legendary actors like Sathyan and Prem Nazir, Mammootty, Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi and numerous others. The chemistry Ponnamma has with Mohanlal has been greatly appreciated by the Malayalee audience.

She last donned the grease paint in 2022, following which age-related illness caught up with her and was mostly at home.

Her husband passed away in 2011 and she has one daughter who is settled in the US.

For the past few weeks, she has been ill and mostly confined to a hospital bed. Her condition worsened in the past few days and was now serious.

In her over six decades of active acting career, Ponnamma has won numerous awards including the Kerala State government’s prestigious film awards.

With a glittering film career behind her back, she was hugely popular in the television serial industry.

Many of her "screen" sons and daughters have visited her at the hospital.

Last year, there were rumours that the actress had been abandoned by her family and was living in misery. However, Ponnamma refuted the rumours saying, she was living with her youngest brother.