Google Doodle honours PK Rosy, the first lead Malayalam actress

Google dedicates a doodle today to PK Rosy, the first leading Malayalam cinema actress, remembering her on her 120th birth anniversary. Today's Google Doodle displays a portrait of PK Rosy in front of the Google logo, and in the background, we can see the logo painted on a film reel surrounded by roses. Rosy is seen in a sari in the Google Doodle. A page dedicated to her on Google states that she was born in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on February 10, 1903.

PK Rosy's genuine name was Rajamma. She broke barriers and proved herself with her performance in the Malayalam film Vigathakumaran (The Lost Boy) at a time when performing arts were not encouraged in many sections of society, especially for women, as per Google. The people were agitated that a Dalit woman portrayed the role of a Nair woman when the film was showcased at the Capitol Cinema in Thiruvananthapuram, according to IMDb.

It is reported that she married Kesava Pillai, a trucker, and moved to Tamil Nadu, where she used the name "Rajammal". Several years after she stopped acting, her contribution to Malayalam cinema and society came to light. "Thank you, PK Rosy, for your courage and the legacy you leave behind," Google, the search giant, shared in her honour.

Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) shared in 2019 that a film society would be established in PK Rosy's name. "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 read.