Mayilaa, a deeply grounded directorial debut by actress Semmalar Annam, traces one woman’s journey through poverty, faith and resilience in rural Tamil Nadu. Blending social realism with moments of spiritual intensity, the Tamil-language film follows the titular protagonist as she attempts to buy a saree for the village goddess named Mayilatha. As Mayilaa navigates inexperience and adversity, Annam crafts a portrait of survival that is at once intimate and political. The first-time filmmaker captures the textures of everyday life with striking compassion while subtly engaging with the entrenched sexism, generational patriarchy and caste-based exploitation that shape the narrative framework.

Mayilaa premiered at the 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and later won the Audience Award at the Toulouse Indian Film Festival. In this interview, Annam discusses the personal experiences and observations that shaped Mayilaa, and reflects on its exploration of faith, motherhood and survival within a deeply unequal society.

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Dipankar Sarkar: Mayilaa tells the story of a woman whose hardships are deeply intertwined with faith, identity and survival. Why did you choose this particular story for your debut feature?

Semmalar Annam: Many of the women around me are deeply rooted in faith while constantly navigating hardships, yet they continue to find meaning and joy in everyday life. I observed this closely, and not only among my relatives but also among women in my native place, where the film was shot. As an actor, traveling to different villages and towns allowed me to interact with many women and observe their lives closely. These experiences gradually shaped the story.

At a more personal level, I began writing this film when I was a mother to an infant, and the emotional bond between a mother and child became the foundation of the narrative. Over time, the people I met, the stories I heard and the lives I witnessed added more layers to it.

Since many aspects of the film draw from real-life experiences, I felt it could only be told with honesty and authenticity within an independent filmmaking setup. That’s why, when the right conditions came together, I chose this as my first film.

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DS: Mayilaa’s decision to sell mats door-to-door is both practical and empowering. Did you see this as purely economic survival, or also as a step toward personal independence?

SA: My intention was not only to create economic independence for her but also to create space for freedom. In many villages, women’s worlds are often limited to their homes, workplaces and local spiritual spaces. I believe that when a woman’s world expands, her freedom, confidence and way of thinking expand too. This comes from my own experience as well. Until my early twenties, my world was limited to home, studies and college. Moving to Chennai exposed me to cinema, literature and new people, which changed how I saw the world.

Similarly, with Mayilaa, I wanted to expand her world beyond familiar boundaries. Selling mats door-to-door becomes more than livelihood. It becomes a way for her to meet different people, encounter new experiences and gradually grow in confidence and self-belief.

Her daughter accompanying her was equally important to me because I wanted the next generation to be part of this transformation and show how companionship, care and shared experiences create their own kind of strength and magic.

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DS: The relationship between Mayilaa and her daughter Sudar forms the emotional core of the film. At the same time, her struggle is also shaped by the support of other women, whether it is her neighbor or even a brief encounter at a night gathering that helps her find her voice. Why was it important for you to foreground this bonding among women?

SA: From the beginning, I always imagined this as a story about a mother and daughter, and that relationship itself felt complete to me. But as I continued writing and encountered more real-life stories, Mayilaa gradually developed her own arc of independence and freedom.

Many of the women in the film, including [Mayilaa’s] neighbor Kamalam, whom [she] meets during her journey, and the woman at the feminist conference, are inspired by people I have observed closely in real life. I believe there is a unique strength in the bonds women share. Often, women understand each other’s struggles deeply, and that understanding creates support and solidarity.

At the same time, jealousy, competition and discomfort around another woman’s growth also exist. I wanted to portray both realities, which is why a character like Thenmozhi exists somewhere in between those spaces.

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DS: Mayilaa’s husband remains a cruel but mostly off-screen presence, while the men she encounters outside are often predatory, indifferent or occasionally supportive. Why was it important for you to create this contrast within her journey?

SA: The majority of the women venturing outside their homes would have experienced harassment by men at some point in their lives. That is a harsh but undeniable reality. At the same time, it is also true that women receive a lot of help and support from men as well. My intention [was] not to portray all men negatively. Indian society also grants certain privileges to men, and as a result, structures of dominance and toxic behavior are often imposed on women. My intention [was] to question and respond to such imposed behavior and the characters that represent it.

Many people have questioned the way certain male characters are portrayed in the film. But I feel that within our social and marital structures, many women are often forced to live with discomfort, imbalance and unequal relationships as part of everyday life. Because of that, I didn’t want these characters to exist as fixed or singular representations. Instead, I wanted viewers to connect them with their own experiences and interpret them in personal ways.

At the same time, I also wanted to acknowledge that not all men exercise privilege or dominance in the same way. There are men who listen, support and treat women as equals. In my own life too, I have experienced both support and harm from men, and I wanted Mayilaa to reflect that complexity rather than reduce it to a simple binary.

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DS: Throughout the film, Mayilaa’s daughter’s severe constipation remains a constant concern, and later we encounter a grandmother facing a similar struggle with her grandson. Why was this recurring motif important within the story?

SA: When I started writing this story as a journey between a mother and daughter, it already involved a child suffering from constipation. It was the starting point. As the layer of a toxic relationship entered the narrative, I began to see constipation as a metaphor. It became a way of thinking about something that needs release but remains stuck, creating discomfort and pain.

In Mayilaa’s life too, there are many things she cannot let go of, especially her relationship and the circumstances trapping her. That feeling stayed with me. So, I wanted this idea to run through the film beyond just the child’s condition. That is why later we see similar struggles in another household too. For me, constipation became a metaphor for many kinds of blockages such as emotional burdens, toxic relationships, economic hardship and even class barriers.

I wanted this recurring image to quietly connect these layers and become an important thread within the narrative.

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DS: Mayilaa often slips into trance-like states, not only in moments of devotion but also during personal crises. What did you wish  to convey?

SA: In Mayilaa’s journey, these trance-like states emerge only when there is some connection to devotion. Whether she is in a temple or hears a devotional song playing through a loudspeaker, an emotional trigger often becomes intertwined with faith, and the trance emerges from that moment.

For me, these moments are closely tied to her subconscious — feelings and experiences that she cannot express directly often surface through these trance states. Even when she shares her experiences with her neighbor, that expression comes through in a trance-like form. Elements like fire also act as triggers, repeatedly drawing her back into that state. So while each moment is different, there is always some connection to the divine that activates it.

Overall, I saw these trance sequences as moments where her subconscious finds a way to surface and speak.

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DS: There is a striking moment when Mayilaa dreams of the goddess appearing before her, bruised and screaming. What was the function of this scene?

SA: I can answer this, though I feel explaining it too directly might take away some of the mystery for audiences. Even so, I’ll share my perspective.

For me, many female deities are rooted in stories of pain, violence, injustice or tragedy. Often, these figures emerge from collective memory and are later transformed into divine forms. In that sense, I saw a connection between Mayilaa’s own life and the backstory of the goddess she encounters.

I wanted these two worlds — the personal and the divine — to intersect at that moment, which is why I chose to place it within a dream. That was the intention behind the scene, though I also hope audiences discover their own meaning within it rather than having everything explained in advance.

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DS: Mayilaa’s door-to-door struggle to sell mats brings her into contact with a woman from another part of India, and their exchange in their native languages creates both confusion and humor. Why did you choose to include this moment?

SA: When she went door-to-door to sell mats, we had traveled to certain villages for the shoot, and I noticed that many people from North India were living there for their livelihood. While we were scouting houses for filming, our cinematographer, Vinoth Janakiraman, pointed out one particular house and said it looked very interesting. But the people living there were Hindi-speaking, and we didn’t initially have any scene planned for that space. He simply mentioned that the location had a certain appeal.

That moment sparked a thought in me. If people like them are living here, what would happen if Mayilaa, selling mats, walked into such a space? That idea became the starting point for the scene. So, this moment was something that evolved organically on the location. The entire team contributed to shaping it, and we created the scene together. For me, it was a very interesting and memorable experience.

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DS: As a first-time filmmaker, finding the right backing can be difficult. Mayilaa began with Newton Cinema and later found support through Pa. Ranjith’s involvement as presenter. Could you tell me about that journey?

SA: I have wanted to become a director since my school days, and when I started writing this film, I carried that same dream with me. At the beginning, I wasn’t fully aware of how difficult the journey would be. It was only as I moved through different stages that I began to understand the challenges.

I started the film independently, using my savings along with support from my parents to complete it. But later, I realized that making the film was only one part of the struggle, whereas finding space for it within the industry and navigating distribution proved emotionally difficult and, at times, shook my confidence.

During that phase, veteran editor A. Sreekar Prasad supported me immensely. Through him, the team at Newton Cinema watched the film and chose to back it with sincerity and trust. He also made sure filmmaker Ram watched it, and his encouragement gave me the confidence to pursue the festival circuit. He further supported the film by helping send it to festivals, for which I remain deeply grateful.

I also wanted filmmaker Pa. Ranjith to watch the film because I deeply admire the work he has done through cinema. After watching it, he immediately extended his support and came on board to present the film through Neelam Productions.

As an independent filmmaker, such support means everything to me, and I will always remain grateful to them for believing in the film.

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DS: The film captures rural Tamil Nadu with striking realism while also finding beauty and emotional depth in everyday landscapes. How did you and your cinematographer, Vinoth Janakiraman, approach creating this visual language for Mayilaa’s world?

SA: Most of Mayilaa, especially the temple portions, was shot in Neelambur near Coimbatore, which is also my native place. I spent much of my childhood there, observing the people, daily wage workers, cattle and everyday rhythms of village life. Because of that personal connection, many locations were already present in my mind while writing the script.

Our cinematographer was a major creative strength for the film. When I narrated the story to him, the references he shared made me feel that he had understood its emotional core and was on the same wavelength as me. As we visited real locations and spaces connected to lived experiences, he would suggest frames and visual ideas that immediately resonated with me. That strong mutual understanding became an important part of shaping the film’s visual identity. We also searched for locations that could carry the emotional texture of the story. I have always loved old stone houses, and though many have disappeared, we managed to find spaces that matched the world I imagined.

As we explored these places, many visual ideas emerged organically. Overall, I feel Vinoth Janakiraman beautifully captured both the emotional and physical landscape of Mayilaa.

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DS: Mayilaa was edited by veteran editor A. Sreekar Prasad. How did having him as part of the film help shape it?

SA: Sreekar Prasad is truly one of the pillars of this film, and I will always remain deeply grateful for his contribution. When I first approached him, I was hesitant because of his stature, but I had heard that he treats independent cinema with sincerity and respect, which gave me the confidence to reach out.

For nearly two years, his approach towards both the film and me has remained consistent, encouraging and respectful. His contribution went far beyond editing. He was deeply involved in creative discussions and had a unique way of gently pushing our thinking forward without imposing his ideas. He would spark a thought, and from there I would take it forward. In many ways, Mayilaa was gradually shaped through that process.

I often feel that working with him has been like attending the film school I never had the chance to study at, and I consider that a blessing. Even today, I see him as a mentor and continue to discuss ideas, doubts and creative questions with him.

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DS: The performances, from both the principal and supporting cast, feel remarkably authentic. How did you approach casting for the film?

SA: Around 80 percent of the people in the film are from the village itself. Since I have known many of them from childhood, I already understood how they speak, behave and respond to situations. While writing, I didn’t try to impose anything superficial on them. I simply wrote them as they are in real life, and I think that is why their performances feel organic.

For the central role, I wanted someone who wouldn’t feel like a conventional film actor but like a natural part of that world. That is why I chose P. Melody Dorcas, who comes from theatre. She is formally trained, I had worked with her before and I knew she would adapt well to the dialect and the live-sound approach we were using. In terms of both performance and presence, she felt like the right fit.

Shudar Kodi, who plays the daughter, is my own child. Since I know her personality and mannerisms closely, writing and directing her came naturally, which added another layer of authenticity to the film.

Many viewers have told me that the performances feel real and lived-in, and I’m very happy that this approach worked the way I intended.

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DS: Mayilaa premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and later won the Audience Award at the Toulouse Indian Film Festival. How much do such recognitions mean for a debut filmmaker?

SA: Mayilaa traveling to international festivals and receiving recognition has been deeply meaningful for me. Its selection in the Bright Future section at IFFR itself felt encouraging, though traveling abroad for the first time, as a director with my own film, was both exciting and overwhelming.

What stayed with me most was the audience response. People watched the film with great attention, engaged deeply during Q&As, and many shared emotional responses after the screenings. Some conversations even made me revisit my own understanding of the film.

All three screenings at IFFR sold out before the festival began, which was incredibly special to hear from the organizers themselves. Winning the Audience Award at Toulouse was equally meaningful because I always made this film with audiences in mind, so receiving recognition directly from them felt very personal.

As the festival journey continues, more people have been reaching out asking when the film will release, and I believe this visibility and curiosity have come largely because of these festivals. Overall, the festival journey has played an important role in shaping the next phase of Mayilaa and giving it a promising future.

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DS: So, what are your plans for the film’s release?

SA: We are currently working towards bringing Mayilaa to theatres in the best possible way. Since its festival screenings, there has been strong curiosity from both international and Tamil audiences about when the film will release, which has been very encouraging.

Newton Cinema is actively working on a theatrical release in the coming months while the film continues its festival journey with selections at several festivals. I believe every film finds its own right moment to reach audiences, and I’m confident Mayilaa will too. When it does, I hope and believe it will connect deeply with viewers.

Dipankar Sarkar (@Dipankar_Tezpur) is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic based in India. As a freelancer, he regularly contributes to various Indian publications on cinema-related topics.

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