M. K. Kamalam Biography 
M. K. Kamalam was the heroine of first Malayalam talkie, Balan. It was only the third movie made, after Vigathakumaran and Marthanda Varma. Balan was based on the short story "Vidhiyum Mrs. Nayarum" by A. Sundaram. She was the first Malayalam voice ever heard on the sound track of a film as Balan was the first audio movie in Malayalam. Apart from acting, she was a good singer also who was trained under Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar. She has sung 3 songs for her debut movie, Balan. She has also acted in many plays like Sree Narayana Guru, Anarkali, Magdalana Mariyam, Kochu Seetha, and Marakkanavatha Manushyan.
She was born in Kottayam in the year 1923. She was born as the third daughter of Kumarakam Mangat Kochupanicker, a music teacher, and Karthyayini. She learnt music under Sebastian Kunjukunju Bhagavathar, followed by training under Thomas Punnan, Narayanan Bhagavathar, Ochira Raman Bhagavathar, and Kottayam Sankunni Nair. She was active in theatre before she entered movies. She started acting as a child artist at the age of 7. The play was Allirani in which her father also acted. While working in the stage play, Vichithravijayam she got her first opportunity to work in movies. She was selected from a group of 5 girls and she acted in Balan when she was 15 years old. It was the first Malayalam talkie.
She sang songs for the movie also, of which the song “Jagadeeswara Jayajaya” became popular. In those days, women didn’t act in movies or plays and hence her act to take participation in a movie was regarded as bold by the society. Then she continued with her stage plays as she had a contract with the company. Then she acted in a movie called Bhootharaayar which was never released due to the death of its producer.
Published: N/A
Updated: January 31, 2014
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