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 (2016) 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
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. After her formal education, she underwent a course on acting and theater at the Stanislavsky Acting School, Chennai.
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.
In the film Ammani (2016), she plays the frustrated daughter-in-law of the main character: Salamma, a hard-working government hospital worker. 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. 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?" 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. 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".
Filmography All films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted. As director Year Title Notes 2010 Malarmathi Short films Konangal 2019Muthal Mazhai ()2026 Mayilaa Premiere at IFFR As an actress Year Film Role Notes 2016 Ammani Amudha 2017Magalir Mattum Housewife in Prabhavathy's documentary 2017Kurangu BommaiMother of kidnapped child2018Street LightsMalar Malayalam film2019Thambi GunavathiMaadathyVeni KattumaramMalarSillu Karuppatti Aishwarya Turtles segment2020Ponmagal Vandhal A kid's motherThe TremorMysterious woman2021SennaiAnnamRising Star Emerging Actress, Toronto Tamil International Film Festival, 2021MmmmmTribal womanMalayalam film2022 Thunikaram Semmalar Repeat Shoe Child trafficker's henchman 2023 Yaathisai Einar clan member Thandatti Virumayi Maaveeran Selvi Appatha Villager The Road Manga Kattil Aayiram Porkaasukal Aarayi 2024 Ayalaan Cancer-affected girl's mother Kalvan District Forest Officer Andhagan Rasi Neela Nira Sooriyan 2025 Rambo
Television Year Title Role Channel/Platform Notes 2012 Sakalakala Vallavan Contestant Kalaignar TV Won the show 2021 VadhamMercyMX Player 2024 Inspector Rishi Mangai Amazon Prime VideoAindham VedhamBhavaniZEE5
As a dubbing artist + Year Title For whom Language Director Ref. 2024 Lubber Pandhu Swasika Tamil Tamizharasan Pachamuthu 2025 Retro Karthik SubbarajMaamanPrasanth Pandiyaraj 2026 Nooru Saami SasiModha RathriShelly KishoreRaja Karuppasamy
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