Poorna

Shamna Kasim, whom fans call Poorna, is an actress best known for her Telugu roles, though she also works in Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada cinema. Audiences remember her for Seema Tapakai (2011), Avunu (2012) and Akhanda (2021). Her role in Akhanda earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress (Telugu) at the South Indian International Movie Awards. Before acting, she trained in classical dance and caught attention on a televised dance contest. Her screen career began in 2004 with the Malayalam film Manju Poloru Penkutty. Her first Telugu film, Sri Mahalakshmi, gave her a major part, and her Tamil start, Muniyandi Vilangial Moonramandu, cast her as the female lead. Seema Tapakai (2011) and Avunu (2012) made her a known name with Telugu viewers. She went on to Tamil films such as Savarakathi (2018) and Kaappaan (2019). In 2021 she appeared in Akhanda, Drushyam 2, Thalaivi and Back Door. Her later films include ASALU (2023), Devil (2023), Guntur Kaaram (2024), Akhanda 2: Thaandavam (2025) and Jailer 2 (2026). Poorna moves between four film languages and takes on lead roles, supporting parts and thrillers alike. Her dance training shapes the way she carries herself on screen. Besides her Akhanda nomination, she was nominated at the South Indian International Movie Awards in 2018 for the Tamil film Savarakathi.