I hope people with darker skin tone get their due in films: Semmalar Annam

When debutant filmmaker

Jaikumar Sedhuraman

penned the script for his maiden venture

Sennai

, he was sure of one thing — that he would cast Semmalar Annam in the lead. The actress, who shot to fame with Lakshmy Ramakrishnan’s critically acclaimed film Ammani, plays an undertaker in the film. And now, she has bagged the Best Actress Award for her role in the Tagore International Film Festival 2021 and the Port Blair International Film Festival 2021.

“When the director told me that he had written the character with me in his mind, I read the script and instantly gave my nod. He even named the character Annam, the second part of my name. The film was predominantly shot in Tiruvannamalai and certain portions were canned in writer and activist Bava Chelladurai’s house. He plays my husband in the film,” begins an excited Semmalar, who was also seen in Ponmagal Vandhal and Sillu
Karupatti.

So, how challenging was it to play an undertaker? “I am used to playing strong and bold characters, so the role wasn’t difficult per se. What was taxing was playing an asthma patient and delivering my dialogues. I had to memorise my lines, but at the same time, remember to cough between every two lines. I had to practise hard to get it right.”

Semmalar was recently seen in Vijeesh Mani’s Mmmmm, which is said to be the first film in the Kurumba language spoken by the tribal community in Attapadi, Palakkad. The film had footballer IM Vijayan and Semmalar as part of the star cast and it became eligible for the Oscar race along with 365 other films earlier this year.

Ask Semmalar if it was a conscious decision to play such unconventional characters and she says, “Not really! In fact, I aspire to do comedy and romance. I am a fun-loving person with a great sense of humour. However, the characters that have been coming to me are predominantly the ones where I have to portray negative emotions — be it grief, anger, melancholy, fear or helplessness. I believe in living my characters. So, when I am constantly offered such 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.”

With conversations about colourism as a pernicious form of discrimination becoming more vociferous by the day, are things changing in the film industry? “I wouldn’t say there has been a drastic improvement, but it is gradually getting better. I was recently offered the role of a forest officer in Kalvan where I played a well-dressed forest officer. It was a refreshing change. I am doing a role with a tinge of humour in Bachelor. I have Ayalaan, Valimai, Aayiram Porkasugal and Kattil as well in my kitty. I hope to change things once I take the plunge into direction in feature films, which is my long-term dream. And I hope people with darker skin tones get their due.” Interestingly, Semmalar has already directed award-winning short films like Mudhal Mazhai, Malarmathi and Konangal.