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.[2]
Manju Warrier portrayed Nilambur Ayisha in Ayisha, a 2023 Malayalam language biographical film about her life.[3] 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.