Google Doodle Remembers PK Rosy, First Female Lead In Malayalam Cinema

Google dedicated a doodle to PK Rosy, Malayalam cinema's first lead female actor, on her 120th birthday. A page dedicated to her on Google mentions that she was born on February 10, 1903, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. 

PK Rosy's real name was Rajamma. She broke barriers with her performance in the Malayalam movie Vigathakumaran (The Lost Child) during a time when performing arts were discouraged in many sectors of society, especially for women, according to Google. 

The crowd was angry that a Dalit woman had portrayed the character of a Nair woman when the movie was shown at the Capitol Cinema in Thiruvananthapuram, as per IMDb.

She is reported to have married Kesava Pillai, a truck driver, and moved to Tamil Nadu, where she used the name "Rajammal".

Also Read: Google Celebrates New Year's Eve With Animated Doodle

Many years after she stopped acting, her contribution to Malayalam cinema and society as a whole came to light. "Thank you, PK Rosy, for your courage and the legacy you leave behind," the search engine wrote in her honour. 

Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) said in 2019 that a film society will be established under the name of PK Rosy. "Our logo invokes Rosy visually and has been designed by the Mumbai-based designer Zoya Riyas. The P.K. Rosy Film Society is an endeavour from our side to establish a viewing space for cinema, which has often been an all-male space. Headed and run by an all ciswomen/transwomen panel, we aim at showcasing, discussing, and celebrating women filmmakers, women film professionals, and feminist cinema aesthetics," their statement said.