Mariyam Azza

Mariyam Azza (born 20 April 1989) is a Maldivian film actress. She is the daughter of actress Aminath Rasheedha and younger sister to actress turned director Aishath Rishmy.

Early life Born in Malé, Azza is the daughter of actress Aminath Rasheedha and the sister of actress Aishath Rishmy. She made a brief cameo appearance in the film Mithuru, along with Rishmy, which was produced by her step-father Shiyam and co-starring with Rasheedha. In 1997, she starred alongside Rasheedha in Mohamed Ali Manik's Maazee (2000) which narrates the story of two best friends, a boy and a girl, who get separated at childhood and reunite as adults. Azza played the child role of Neeza, a high self-esteemed girl who disregard her own mother and childhood best friend.

Career 2005–16: Debut and breakthrough In 2005, Azza appeared in a video single titled "Loabiviyya" alongside her sister, Rishmy, which became a chartbuster. She then appeared in several songs produced by her family production. The film was a critical and commercial success while being considered as "one of the few acceptable horror film the Maldivian Film Industry has ever produced". It was later released as 15 episodes television series with inclusion of several clips that were edited off while released in theatre. Her performance fetched her a Gaumee Film Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2016, Azza played the role of Elisha, an innocent girl who becomes possessed while trapped in a house, in Fathimath Nahula's horror film 4426. Upon release, the film received mostly positive reviews from critics. Ahmed Nadheem of Avas labelled the film as a "masterpiece" and noted her performance to be "good" but not "consistent". Ahmed Adhushan reviewing for Mihaaru considered her dialogue delivery and expressions in the possessed scenes to "stand out" from the film while she delivered a "haunting performance" in her "breakthrough film". With twenty-five back-to-back housefull shows being screened, 4426 was declared as the highest-grossing film of the year in the Maldives.

2017–22: Commercial success and web series

In 2017, Azza established herself as a leading actress of contemporary Maldivian cinema by featuring in four of the top-grossing productions of the year. Her first release of the year was the Ali Shifau-directed romantic comedy Mee Loaybakee alongside Mohamed Jumayyil. At the time of release, the film held the record of being the Maldivian film featuring the largest cast onscreen. The film and Azza's performance received mixed reviews, with Aishath Maaha of Avas calling her performance "a drawback from her previous films". She next featured alongside an ensemble cast including Yoosuf Shafeeu, Mohamed Manik, Ahmed Saeed and Ali Seezan in another romantic comedy film Naughty 40 which was directed by Shafeeu. The film revolves around three friends, Ashwanee, Ahsan and Ajwad (Played by Shafeeu, Saeed and Manik respectively) who are single and having a youthful outlook, in spite of being in their forties. The film touched upon controversial issues in the Maldives including the depiction of flogging and also shines a light on mental health by featuring an attempted suicide. Azza played the role of Yusra, an acquiescent and talkative young woman whose life changes with an extramarital affair. A reviewer from Avas wrote: "The transition from being loquacious to reticent, she played the character whole-heatedly saddening the audience with absolute emotions". The film opened to mixed reviews from critics though it emerged as one of the highest grossing Maldivian films of the year. Penned and produced by Fathimath Nahula, the film tells the story of a woman from a royal family and her battle with depression after the demise of her father. Azza played the lead character Ibaa, who has depression and is forced into an arranged marriage. The first season consisting of thirteen episodes were aired from 13 February 2017. The series consisting of sixty episodes and streamed through the digital platform Baiskoafu, centers around a happy and radiant family which breaks into despairing pieces after a tragic incident that led to an unaccountable loss. The series and her performance as a divorcee struggling to choose between her abusive ex-husband and a caring young man were positively received.

The following year, Azza starred in Nafrathuvumun (2019) alongside Shafeeu, Ali Azim and Ahmed Easa which revolves around a guesthouse, the only source of income for a woman who is convinced by several men to sell the property. Mariyam Waheedha from Miadhu praised Azza's "dynamic" performance and preferred her negative side of the character than her vulnerable personality. Mariyam Waheedha from Miadhu considers her portrayal of the character Zeeniya as "relevant in the horror scenes but unnatural in the calm scenes".

2023–present: Further releases In 2023, Azza played the role of a devoted wife in Ali Seezan's erotic thriller Loabi Vevijje, which follows a married man who becomes infatuated with a woman after a one-night stand. The film which was announced in 2019, but halted due to COVID-19 pandemic, opened to generally positive reviews from critics, where as her performance received mixed reviews from critics. Aminath Luba reviewing from The Press found her performance to be "strictly average, nothing exceptional". Similarly, Ahmed Nadheem from Dhauru called her acting "not bad" and "generally okay".

Media image Following the success of 4426, Hahdhu and Bos, Azza's film roles were subject to wide commercial analysis. In 2017, she was the most successful contemporary actress in the Maldives. In 2018, she was ranked in the fifth position from Dho?'''s list of Top Ten Actresses of Maldives where writer Aishath Maaha called her the most "bright and demanding" actress from the current generation.

Personal life Azza married actor Ismail Jumaih and have a son Ethan from him. The couple got divorced afterwards. She then married one of her co-stars Abdulla Muaz on 20 February 2020. 2000

Child actor

2006

Nominated—Gaumee Film Award for Best Supporting Actress

2011

Special appearance in the song "Dhurun Balaashey"

2016

2019

2019

2023

2024

2024

Special appearance

2025

2025

2025

Shaina

2026 Post production

Television

Short film Year Title Role Notes 2008 Farihibe 2 Zareefa 2009 Pink Fairy Herself Special appearance in the song "Pink Fairy" 2011 Farihibe 3 Futhoona 2011 2nd SunFM Awards Most Entertaining Actress Hahdhu 2025 5th Karnataka International Film Festival Best Lead Actress Kamanaa