Mallika's first appearance in television was in a tele-serial by K. K. Rajeev called Peythozhiyathe. She won the Second Best Actress Award in the Kaveri Film Critics Television Awards (2004) for her role in the serial American Dreams. She is well known for her comedic roles as well as her character roles. She made her debut in Tamil cinema with the 2008 film Vaazhthugal. Mallika has also acted in some advertisements and participated in some talk shows and game shows. She runs a restaurant in Doha. Now she is acting in a Malayalam serial Surabhiyum Suhasiniyum.
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.[5][6] 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.[2]
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.[7]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.[8]
Her first movie in her comeback is the Rajasenan movie Meghasandesham. Suresh Gopi was the hero of this movie. Her role in Ranjith'sAmmakkilikkoodu was widely appreciated. Recently she has judged the popular reality showAmma Ammmayiyamma, telecasting on Kairali TV. She has acted in some advertisements also.
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.[4] In hometown, she has a house at Thiruvananthapuram where she grew up. Her sons are settled in Kochi.[14]