Semmalar Annam

Semmalar Annam
Born
Semmalar Annam K.

20 August 1990 (1990-08-20) (age 34)
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
NationalityIndian
OccupationActress
Years active2009–present

Semmalar Annam is an Indian actress who works in Tamil-language films. 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 (2016) directed by Lakshmy Ramakrishnan,[1] she went on to star in films such as Maadathy (2019), Sennai (2021) and the Malayalam film Mmmmm (2021).[2]

Early life and career

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"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[2]

After her schooling at Krishnamal Higher Secondary School Coimbatore, she joined for B.Sc., Visual Communication studies at PSG College of Arts and Science and later did her post graduation in Mass Communication and Journalism from PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore.[3] After her formal education, she underwent a course on acting and theater at the Stanislavsky Acting School, Chennai.[1]

Semmalar's debut short film Malarmathi (2010), about a sexually abused orphan won the best film and best director award at Legend 2010, a state-level short film festival organized by Department of Visual Communication, Sathyabama University, Chennai.[3]

In the film Ammani (2016), she plays the frustrated daughter-in-law of the main character: Salamma, a hard-working government hospital worker.[1] Semmalar played major roles in several independent films such as Maadathy (2019), Sennai (2021), and the Malayalam film Mmmmm (2021) while she had minor roles in several major productions, with her roles in Valimai (2021) and Bachelor (2021) edited out from the final cuts.[4] She played a dalit mother in Maadathy (2019). Regarding her performance, a critic wrote that "Semmarlar Annam in a yet another remarkable performance. How long will the mainstream filmmakers ignore her?"[5] In Sennai, she played the lead role (again the character of a dalit)[6][7] while she played a member of the honey hunter Kurumba tribe in Mmmmm.[4] Regarding her performance in Thunikaram (2022), a critic wrote that "Though Semmalar Annam doesn't have much scope to perform, she does a decent job in the given time".[8]

Filmography

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  • All films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted.
Year Film Role Notes Ref.
2016 Ammani Amudha [1]
2017 Magalir Mattum Housewife in Prabhavathy's documentary [4]
2017 Kurangu Bommai Mother of kidnapped child
2018 Street Lights Malar Malayalam film
2019 Thambi Gunavathi
Maadathy Veni [5]
Kattumaram Malar [citation needed]
Sillu Karuppatti Aishwarya Turtles segment
2020 Ponmagal Vandhal A kid's mother [4]
The Tremor Mysterious woman
2021 Sennai Annam Won—Rising Star Emerging Actress, Toronto Tamil International Film Festival, 2021 [6][9]
Mmmmm Tribal woman Malayalam film [4]
2022 Thunikaram Semmalar [8]
2023 Yaathisai Einar clan member
Thandatti Virumayi
Maaveeran Selvi
Appatha Villager
The Road Manga
Kattil [2]
Aayiram Porkaasukal Aarayi [2]
2024 Ayalaan Cancer-affected girl's mother [2]
Kalvan District Forest Officer
Andhagan Rasi
Neela Nira Sooriyan

Television

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Year Title Role Channel/Platform Notes Ref.
2012 Sakalakala Vallavan Contestant Kalaignar TV Won [10][3]
2021 Vadham Mercy MX Player
2024 Inspector Rishi Mangai Amazon Prime Video
Aindham Vedham Bhavani ZEE5

Short films

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As director
Year Title Notes Ref.
2010 Malarmathi [3]
Konangal Widow Marriage
2019 Muthal Mazhai (transl. First Rain) [11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Nath, Parshathy J. (26 October 2016). "Young and restless". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e "I hope people with darker skin tone get their due in films: Semmalar Annam". The Times of India. 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Nath, Parshathy J. (5 March 2013). "The right angle". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e Jeshi, K. (23 January 2021). "Semmalar Annam on playing a tribal woman in an upcoming Malayalam film". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b "'Maadathy — An Unfairly Tale' movie review: The ghost of Yosana and the duality of being a woman". The Hindu. 24 June 2021. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Jaikumar Sedhuraman's Sennai wins big at Nepal film fest". The Times of India. 20 December 2021. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  7. ^ Rangan, Baradwaj (29 September 2021). "Sennai Movie Review: A Solid Indie-Dalit Film That Uses A Fable To Make Its Points". www.filmcompanion.in. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Thunikaram Movie Review: A thrilling plot let by sloppy writing". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 6 May 2022. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Semmalar Annam:Waiting for Wings". therisingsunmagazine.com. Archived from the original on 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  10. ^ "யதார்த்த முகம் - Kungumam Tamil Weekly Magazine". Archived from the original on 19 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  11. ^ "Home". savbisff. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2021.
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