Actor · Telugu cinema
Shamna Kasim
Shamna Kasim movies: 18 Telugu films on file, 2007–2025. Earliest on file: Sri Mahalakshmi (2007). Latest release: Akhanda 2 (12 December 2025).
- Films on file
- 18 (18 as actor)
- Years on file
- 2007–2025
- Born
- 1 February 1989 · February birthdays (Wikidata)
- Selected films on file
- Srimanthudu, Guntur Kaaram, Akhanda
- Record
- Q3521423 on Wikidata
Shamna Kasim, known by the stage name Poorna, is an Indian actress, dancer and model who works in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada films. After a Malayalam debut in 2004, she became known in Telugu for the horror hits Avunu (2012), Avunu 2 (2015) and Raju Gari Gadhi (2015), and later for supporting roles in films such as Akhanda (2021), Drushyam 2 (2021) and Dasara (2023).
Early life
She was born in Kannur, Kerala, to Kasim and Ramla. She moved from Ursuline Senior Secondary School to St. Teresa’s Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School in Kannur to concentrate on dance. She lives in Kochi.
Early struggle
Her debut was in the Malayalam film Manju Poloru Penkutty (2004). Her first major role came in her first Telugu film, Sri Mahalakshmi (2007), and she played the female lead in her first Tamil film, Muniyandi Vilangial Moonramandu (2008). Her biggest early hit was the Kannada film Jhossh (2009), which ran for 100 days, and she appeared in Tamil films including Kodaikanal, Kandhakottai and Vithagan.
“Ghost queen”
She is best known in Malayalam for Chattakkari (2012), Aaru Sundarimaarude Katha (2013) and Mili (2015). In Telugu she played a string of ghosts, leading The Hindu to call her “the ghost queen of South films”. She took the lead in Avunu, opposite Harshvardhan Rane, and its sequel Avunu 2, both box office successes. After turning down similar scripts, she played a ghost again in the hit Raju Gari Gadhi. In 2016 she was cast in the Telugu comedy Jayammu Nischayammu Raa. She also became familiar to television audiences as a judge on Telugu and Malayalam dance reality shows.
Later work
She shaved her head for Kodiveeran (2017). Later films include the Malayalam Madhura Raja and Maarconi Mathaai (both 2019), the Telugu Akhanda, Drushyam 2 and Dasara, and the Tamil horror thriller Devil (2024). In 2025 she reprised her Akhanda role in the sequel Akhanda 2: Thaandavam, starring Nandamuri Balakrishna, and she is set to appear in a song in Jailer 2. Her dance in the popular song “Kurchi Madathapetti” went viral.
Personal life
Shamna married Shanid Asif Ali, a Dubai-based businessman, in October 2022, and they have a son and a daughter.
Career on file
Shamna Kasim appears in 18 Telugu films on file at Tollywood Desk, dated from 2007 to 2025. The earliest of them is Sri Mahalakshmi (2007), and the most recent release is Akhanda 2 (2025). The most widely covered of these, counted by Wikipedia language editions, are Srimanthudu (2015), Guntur Kaaram (2024) and Akhanda (2021). Other recent releases on file are Bhimaa (2024), Tees Maar Khan (2022) and Drushyam 2 (2021).
Allari Naresh is the most frequent co-star, sharing four films with Shamna Kasim, followed by Jagapati Babu (3) and Mahesh Babu (2). Among directors, Ravi Babu cast Shamna Kasim most often, in three films; next is Boyapati Srinu (2). Music on three of them is by Sai Karthik, with Shekar Chandra (2) and Thaman S (2) next. Across these films the credits on file name 15 different directors, 16 music directors and 61 other credited actors.
Runtime is on file for 12 of them; they average 144 minutes, and the longest is Akhanda at 169 minutes. Seven of them have a streaming (OTT) release noted on the site. By decade the list splits into 2000s (1), 2010s (10) and 2020s (7). 2015 is the busiest single year, with four films.
Figures come from the films on file at Tollywood Desk and change as records are added.