Nilambur Ayisha

Nilambur Ayisha is an Indian actress who works in the Malayalam film industry and Malayalam Drama industry. She started her career as a theater artist. Later she became a supporting actress in the Malayalam movies in late 1960s and 1970s. She has acted in more than 50 movies. She was the first woman to act in Malayalam movies and dramas from the Muslim community.

Manju Warrier portrayed Nilambur Ayisha in Ayisha, a 2023 Malayalam language biographical film about her life. The movie is directed by Aamir Pallikkal and produced by Zakariya Mohammed.

Early life
Ayisha was born in Nilambur in the erstwhile Madras Presidency. Born into a rich family, she was interested in arts. At the age of 13, she was made to marry a 47-year-old man. But her marriage was called off in the fifth day. She was a single mother since then.

Acting career
Ayisha began acting in dramas 1950s. She made her debut in 1953 at the age of 16 with playwright E. K. Ayamu’s Ijju Nalloru Mansanakan Nokku (1953). The show was performed at over 2,500 stages in various parts of the country. Later she went on to work in theatre with popular artists such as K. T. Muhammed, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Khan Kavil and P. J. Antony. She played the lead in plays such as Ithu Bhoomiyanu, Theekkanal, Srishti and Kafir, written and directed by K. T. Muhammed. She has made her big screen entry with 1961 Hindi film Elephant Queen, directed by Rajendra. Other cast included Helen and Azad. She played the role of a woman in a hunting family. She got an entry to the film as it was shot at her hometown. Later in the year she also did her debut film in Malayalam, Kandam Becha Kottu. It was followed by films like Subaida, Kuttikkuppayam, Olavum Theeravum and Kuppivala.

Awards and honours
In 2002, Ayisha received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for Drama. She has received the S.L. Puram State Prize for her overall contribution to theatre. She won the Kerala State Film Award for the Second Best Actress for her role in Oomakkuyil Padumbol in 2011. She was also awarded Premji Award in the year 2011.

Partial filmography

 * Elephant (1961) as Woman in hunting family (Hindi film)
 * Kandam Becha Kottu (1961) as Bethatha
 * Laila Majnu (1962)
 * Kutti Kuppayam (1964)
 * Subaidha (1965) as Subaidha's mother
 * Kuppivala (1965) as Pathiri Aminumma
 * Kaathirunna Nikkah (1965) as Amina
 * Kattupookkal (1965)
 * Thommante Makkal (1965)
 * Kavyamela (1965) as Bhavaniyamma
 * Thankakkudam (1965) as Payasakkaran's wife
 * Chemmeen (1966)
 * Olavum Theeravum (1970) as Ayisha
 * Pathiraavum Pakalvelichavum (1974)
 * Kaathirunna Nimisham (1978) as Ramu's mother
 * Chuvanna Vithukal (1978)
 * Thenthulli (1979)
 * Nalumanipookkal (1979)
 * Anyarude Bhoomi (1979)
 * Thraasam (1981)
 * Mylanji (1982) (Ayishumma)
 * Vaalkkannadi (1992)
 * Ammakkilkoodu (2003) as Inmate of old age home
 * Nizhalattam (2005)
 * Chandrolsavam (2005) as Indu's mother
 * Makalkku (2005) as Mental patient
 * Daivanamathil (2005) as Ammayi
 * Paradesi (2007) as Sainu
 * Kaiyoppu (2007) as Beeyathu
 * Shakespeare M.A. Malayalam (2008) as Mentally challenged man's mother
 * Shalabham (2008) as Villager
 * Vilapangalkkappuram (2008) as Valyumma
 * Passenger (2009) as Nabisa Umma
 * Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha (2009)
 * Keralolsavam 2009 (2009) as Basheer's umma
 * Entumma (2009) as Umma
 * Khilafath
 * Oru Manjukalam as Lakshmikuttiyamma
 * Njangalude Veedu
 * Nilavinte Muthu
 * Oomakkuyil Padumbol (2012) as Mansoor's umma
 * Kuthanthra Siromani
 * Bioscope (2013)
 * Ms. Lekha Tharoor Kanunnathu (2013) as Deceased patient in hospital
 * Balyakalasakhi (2014) as Jinnumma
 * Koothara (2014) as Thufail's mother
 * Pedithondan (2014) as Umma
 * Alif (2015) as Ummakunju/Fathima's grandmother
 * Compartment (2015) as Devi
 * Nikkah (2015) as Aasiyumma
 * Pakal Mayum Mumoe (2016)
 * Pravasalokam (2016) as Najeeb's Ammayi
 * Ka Bodyscapes (2016) as Kadeesumma
 * Ayishakkalam (2017)
 * Hello Dubaikkaran (2017) as Prakashan's grandmother
 * Mattanchery (2018)
 * Khalifa (2018)
 * Koode (2018) as Grandmother
 * Poochedi Poovinte Mottu (2019)
 * Panthu (2019) as Amina's grandmother
 * Virus (2019) as Staff of OP Counter, Hospital
 * OP Kakshi Amminipilla (2019) as Quarrelling lady at court
 * Mamangam (2019) as old woman in Chandroth family
 * Udalazham (2019) as Housemaid
 * Halal Love Story (2020) as actress in telefilm
 * Baton Award (2020)
 * Tharapori (2020) as Valyumma
 * Mazhayathoru Veedu (2020) as Muthassi
 * Niyathi (2021)
 * Gift of Ummachi (2021) as Khadeesumma
 * Khubboos  (2022)
 * Swami Saranam (2022)
 * Olappurakkendhinoru Irumbuvaathil (2022) as
 * Sparsham (2022) as Ammamma
 * Vishnuvinte Umma (2022) as Vishnu's umma
 * Rorschach (2022) as Shafi's mother
 * Wonder Women (2022) as Mini's grandmother
 * Nilambooritne Viplava Nakshathram
 * Ennu Swantham Sreedharan
 * Naattilellam Pattayi
 * Perumkaliyaattam
 * Kuruvipaappa (2023)
 * Randam Naal (2023)

Television serials

 * Rudraveena (Surya TV)

Dramas

 * Karinkurangu
 * Ithu Bhoomiyanu
 * Ullathu Paranjal
 * Ee Dhuniyavil Njan Ottakkanu
 * Ijju Nalloru Mansanakan Nokku
 * Kafir
 * Theekkanal
 * Srishti

Popular Culture
Nilambur ayisha was portrayed by Manju Warrier in the movie Ayisha which depicts her life.