https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=M._K._KamalamM. K. Kamalam - Revision history2026-08-01T00:53:32ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=M._K._Kamalam&diff=458154&oldid=prevJanamkatha at 00:04, 8 January 20262026-01-08T00:04:15Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian actress}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| image = M. K. Kamalam.jpg<br />
| imagesize = <br />
| name = M. K. Kamalam<br />
| othername = <br />
| birth_name = <br />
| birth_date = 1923<br />
| birth_place = [[Kottayam]], [[Kerala]]<br />
| death_date = {{death date|df=yes|2010|04|20}}<br />
| death_place = [[Kottayam]], [[Kerala]]<br />
| death_cause = <br />
| occupation = [[Actress]]<br />
| yearsactive = 1923<br />
| spouse = <br />
| children = <br />
}}<br />
'''M. K. Kamalam''' (1923 – 20 April 2010) was an Indian actress in [[Malayalam cinema]]. She was the heroine in the first [[Malayalam]] [[talkie]] film, ''[[Balan (film)|Balan]]'' (1938).<br />
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==Personal life==<br />
Kamalam was born in 1923<ref name="yahoo">{{cite news |url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20100421/1416/tnl-malayalm-cinema-s-first-heroine-m-k.html |title=Malayalm cinema's first heroine M K Kamalam passes away |publisher=Yahoo! News |accessdate=21 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100425040752/http://in.news.yahoo.com/20/20100421/1416/tnl-malayalm-cinema-s-first-heroine-m-k.html |archivedate=25 April 2010}}</ref> at [[Kottayam]] as the third daughter of Kumarakam Mangat Kochupanicker, a music teacher, and his wife Karthyayini.<br />
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Aside from acting, she was also active in music. [[Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar]] was her first music teacher. She also trained under Thomas Punnan, Narayanan Bhagavathar, Ochira Raman Bhagavathar, and Kottayam Sankunni Nair.<br />
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==Career==<br />
She appeared in her first play ''Allirani'' when she was seven. She acted in it with her father. She got the invitation to act in a movie while she was acting in a play called ''Vichithravijayam''. She was selected from the five ladies who were in the play by director S. Nattani, producer [[T. R. Sundaram]], and actor Alleppey Vincent who were all watching the play. Aged 15, she acted in the first Malayalam "talkie" film, ''[[Balan (film)|Balan]]'' (1938).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/contentView.do?contentId=7105915&tabId=1&channelId=-1073865030&programId=1080132912&BV_ID=@@@ |title=Yesteryear heroin M.K. Kamalam passes away |publisher=manoramaonline.com |accessdate=21 April 2010}}</ref><br />
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Kamalam also sang a trio of songs in her first movie in which the song Jagadeeswara Jayajaya became quite popular. Kamalam's was the first [[Malayalam]] voice ever heard on the sound track of a film as her debut film was the first audio movie in the language.<ref name="yahoo" /> Her acting in the movie was considered quite bold because at that time it was uncommon for a woman to act in movies or even in stage plays.<br />
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After her appearance in a movie, she went on to become popular in stage plays. Due to her contract with the stage company, she could not take any offers from movies until much when she filmed a movie called ''Bhootharaayar'' which was never released due to the death of the producer Thrissur Appan Thampuran. ''Bhootharaayar'' was also actor [[S. P. Pillai]]'s debut film.<br />
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Plays in which she appeared include ''[[Sree Narayana Guru (film)|Sree Narayana Guru]]'', ''[[Anarkali (1966 film)|Anarkali]]'', ''Magdalana Mariyam'', ''Kochu Seetha'', and ''Marakkanavatha Manushyan''. She retired from acting in 1964 only to return 10 years later to appear in the film, ''Sayahnam''. Her final stage appearance was in ''Jeevitham Avasanikkunnilla'', written by Thrissur Nadaka Kalasamithi.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/malayalamContentView.do?programId=1073753765&contentId=7104443&tabId=11 |title=സിനിമയിലെ ആദ്യകാല നായിക എം.കെ. കമലം നിര്യാതയായി |publisher=manoramaonline.com |language=Malayalam |accessdate=21 April 2010}}</ref><br />
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==Death==<br />
Kamalam died on 20 April 2010 at Kottayam. She was under treatment at [[Kottayam Medical College]] where she fell out of her hospital bed and broke her leg. The exact cause of death has not yet been released.<ref>[http://malayalam.webdunia.com/newsworld/news/keralanews/1004/20/1100420074_1.htm Notice of M.K. Kamalam's death]</ref> She was 86.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.our-kerala.com/cinema-news/Actress-M-K-Kamalam-died/1754.html |title=Kamalam obituary |access-date=21 April 2010 |archive-date=26 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126150909/http://www.our-kerala.com/cinema-news/Actress-M-K-Kamalam-died/1754.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was survived by her husband and three children.<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110818203117/http://janayugomonline.com/php/newsDetails.php?nid=85225&cid=30 First death anniversary feature]<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamalam, M.K.}}<br />
[[Category:1923 births]]<br />
[[Category:2010 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]<br />
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]<br />
[[Category:Indian stage actresses]]<br />
[[Category:Actresses from Kottayam]]<br />
[[Category:Actresses in Malayalam cinema]]<br />
[[Category:Actresses in Malayalam theatre]]<br />
[[Category:Malayalam-language playback singers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women playback singers]]<br />
[[Category:Musicians from Kottayam]]<br />
[[Category:Singers from Kerala]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian women singers]]<br />
[[Category:Women musicians from Kerala]]<br />
[[Category:Film musicians from Kerala]]</div>Janamkatha