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Who is Ananthika Sanilkumar? Meet 19-year-old actress, black-belt holder, trained in four classical dances and Rajinikanth’s youngest co-star
Ananthika Sanilkumar rose to fame with her recent stint in the Telugu movie 8 Vasantalu. The young achiever is a powerhouse of talent at just 19 years old.
Ananthika Sanilkumar has hit the spotlight with her nuanced yet graceful on-screen performance in 8 Vasantalu, at just the age of 19. The actress who made a silent debut in cinema in 2022 has now gradually captured much attention, courtesy of her talents and achievements, which extend far beyond the celluloid. In this article, we will learn a little bit more about her.
Who is Ananthika Sanilkumar?
Born in February 2006, Ananthika Sanilkumar is a rising South Indian actress who has achieved notable feats in both the Telugu and Tamil film industries. She hails from Thissur in Kerala and stays with her parents and a younger sister.
After completing her schooling, the young starlet is currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in law from Kerala. With her family’s support, she has been balancing both her educational and professional commitments seamlessly.
Ananthika Sanilkumar is trained in various art forms
From a young age of just 5, Ananthika began learning classical dances. With constant practice and enthusiasm, she has now been professionally trained in a total of four classical dance forms: Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, and Mohiniyattam.
She has performed in several stage shows since a young age, showcasing her graceful expertise in all four dance forms.
However, that’s not the end of all talents for Ananthika. She is also trained in karate and holds a black belt, which is the highest rank possible in the art. Additionally, she is also skilled in Kalaripayattu, a traditional martial art originating from Kerala.
Moreover, she also knows sword fighting and plays the traditional instrument called the Chenda.
Ananthika’s film debut at the age of 17
One of the youngest actresses to debut in mainstream cinema, Ananthika forayed into films in 2022 with the Telugu film Rajahmundry Rose Milk.
After this, Ananthika then bagged a few minor film offers in Malayalam cinema before landing a bigger Tamil opportunity with Vikram Prabhu starrer Raid in 2023. Here, she played the female lead role, and her performance was well-received.
The same year, she appeared in Nithiin’s film Mad, which again brought the spotlight to her craft. Hereafter, Ananthika rose to incredible fame.
Ananthika’s parents were hesitant about her film debut
In a previous interview with The New Indian Express, Ananthika’s mother, Jini Sanilkumar, had mentioned how hesitant they were to let their daughter foray into films in the first place.
She said, “We were initially hesitant to accept any movie offers as we did not know much about the industry. However, with time, Ananthika developed an interest and wanted to give it a try.”
Ananthika became Rajinikanth’s youngest co-star
At 18, Ananthika was roped in for superstar Rajinikanth’s film Lal Salaam, becoming one of the latter’s youngest heroines. She played the role of Dhanalakshmi, the chief love interest of Vishnu Vishal’s character, Thirunavukarasu.
Ananthika delivered a strong performance with 8 Vasantalu
Fast forward to now, in 2025, Ananthika delivered another powerful performance at the box office with 8 Vasantalu. Paired up opposite Ravi Theja Duggirala in the lead, her mature yet nuanced performance received special attention from fans.
In fact, many of them tagged her as the sole driving force of the film’s narrative from start to finish. The film put up a good hold at the box office and is all set to release on Netflix this week.
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