Semmalar Annam

Semmalar Annam is an Indian actress and director who works in Tamil-language films. Her film Mayilaa was screened at Rotterdam International Film Festival. She has also directed and acted in more than fifteen short films during her studies at college. After making her feature film debut with Ammani directed by Lakshmy Ramakrishnan, she went on to star in films such as Maadathy (2019), Sennai (2021) and the Malayalam film Mmmmm (2021).

Early life and career quote="I believe in living my characters. So, when I am constantly offered such [unconventional] roles, it tends to take a toll on my emotions. It’s very difficult for a happy-go-lucky person like me. It might have to do with my skin tone as well as dark-skinned people are stereotyped in such characters in the film industry. We are not offered roles of a doctor or lawyer. It’s appalling." — Semmalar Annam on the roles she gets due to her dark skin, 2021 After her formal education, she underwent a course on acting and theater at the Stanislavsky Acting School, Chennai. In Sennai, she played the lead role (again the character of a dalit) while she played a member of the honey hunter Kurumba tribe in Mmmmm.

Filmography All films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted. As director Year Title Notes 2010 Malarmathi Short films 2026 Mayilaa Premiere at IFFR As an actress Year Film Role Notes 2016 Ammani Amudha MmmmmTribal womanMalayalam film 2022 Thunikaram Semmalar 2025 Retro Karthik SubbarajMaamanPrasanth Pandiyaraj 2026 Nooru Saami Sasi