Mallika Sukumaran

She was born as Mohamallika Pillai to Kainikkara Madhavan Pillai and Shobha as youngest among four children.[2] Her father was a Gandhian and political activist, and was the younger brother of Kainikkara Padmanabha Pillai and Kainikkara Kumara Pillai. She has an elder brother, M. Velayudhan Pillai and two elder sisters, Premachandrika and Ragalathika. She had her primary education from Government Higher Secondary School for Girls, Cotton Hill. She pursued a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram.[3]

Mallika made her acting debut in 1974 with the Malayalam film Utharayanam directed by G. Aravindan and written by Thikkodiyan. She played the role of Radha. In the same year, she won the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress for her role of Rosy Cherian in Swapnadanam. Later on, she was known for her antagonistic and comedic roles.[4][5] In 1975, she acted in the film Boy Friend and later in Pichathikutappan (1979), directed by P. Venu. When she married the Malayalam actor Sukumaran, she left her acting career. She sang the song "Ormayundo" in P. P. Govindan's 1977 film Saritha, along with P. Jayachandran.[1]

After a break, she returned to acting with the television serial Peythozhiyathe directed by K. K. Rajeev. Her future daughter-in-law Poornima Indrajith was also part of the cast, it was during its sets that her son Indrajith Sukumaran and Poornima met.[6] Valayam, Snehadooram, Sthree Oru Santhwanam, Harichandhanam, American Dreams, Indhumukhi Chandhramathi and Porutham are some of her popular tele-serials. She also got a film-TV critics award for her role in the serial American Dreams.[7]

Her first movie in her comeback is the Rajasenan movie Meghasandesham. Suresh Gopi was the hero of this movie. Her role in Ranjith's Ammakkilikkoodu was widely appreciated. Recently she has judged the popular reality show Amma Ammmayiyamma, telecasting on Kairali TV. She has acted in some advertisements also.

Her debut Tamil film was Vaazhthugal directed by Sebastian Seeman.[8] In 2016, she won the lifetime achievement award, Chalachithra Prathibha Award, by the Kerala Film Critics Association Award.[9]

Mallika with her son Prithviraj Sukumaran and granddaughter Prarthana Indrajith at an event in 2009

After romancing for 10 years, she married then struggling actor Jagathy Sreekumar in 1976, she eloped with him to Madras without the consent of her family. However, they got legally separated in 1979. On 17 October 1978, she married Malayalam actor Sukumaran. After marriage, she retired from acting.[10] Her sons Prithviraj Sukumaran and Indrajith Sukumaran are leading actors in Malayalam cinema.[11] Actress and television anchor Poornima Indrajith is her daughter in law.

In 2012, she opened a beauty and skin clinic at Doha, along with her friend. She holds a residence permit in Doha.[12] In 2013, she launched Spice Boat, a multicuisine restaurant at West Bay, Doha. She is the CEO and the Executive Chairperson of the restaurant. By 2016, the restaurant opened six more outlets around Doha.[13] She has a villa in Doha.[3] In hometown, she has a house at Thiruvananthapuram where she grew up. Her sons are settled in Kochi.[14]

• All the programs are television serials, unless otherwise mentioned.

• Mallika Sukumaran at IMDb