'O Madhavan planned a 'fire escape', but Ponnamma's late entry proved the difference'

KOLLAM: The Malayalam film industry is in gloom over the passing of veteran actress Kaviyoor Ponnamma. Actors are now posting anecdotes involving the actress and one such story is now doing the rounds on media. Vijayakumari, the wife of director O. Madhavan and owner of Kalidasa Kala revealed an anecdote involving Ponnamma which she mentioned as an unforgettable experience.

VIJAYA KUMARI:

The troupe reached Kovalam to stage the Kala Kendra's play 'Doctor'. Kaviyoor Ponnamma had already informed the troupe that she would be late for the event. All the makeup started and organizers told us that the event should begin at 9 pm or else see the wrath of the audience.

Even ten minutes before 9 pm, Ponnamma didn’t show up and we all felt the tension burning inside us. The organizers started threatening us but O Madhavan kept his cool. He was sitting on his chair in deep reverie. The first bell rang and the drama started.

By the end of eight minutes in the second scene, Ponnamma's doctor character Jayashree should arrive. It was the main character and was impossible to replace. The curtains went up and there was no trace of Ponnamma. Madhavan discerned the situation and gave kerosene and a matchbox to his assistant. He instructed the assistant to put fire in the green room. In this way, he thought of wriggling out from the scene and stopping the drama.

As the assistant was about to open the matchbox, somebody stopped him forcibly screaming the happy news. ‘Ponnamma is here’.

She went into the stage in full makeup and the total aura went from gloom to exhilaration. The drama turned gripping and we all gave our best work on stage. When the final bell rang, the audience stood up and gave a thunderous applause. It was raining praise for Ponnamma.