Ivana Biography

Ivana, whose birth name is Aleena Shaji, is an Indian actress known primarily for her work in Tamil cinema, along with appearances in Malayalam and Telugu films. She began her career as a child artist in the Malayalam film Masters (2012) and later became widely recognized for her performance as Nikitha in the 2022 Tamil romantic comedy Love Today.

Born on 25 February 2000 in Kerala, Ivana entered the entertainment industry at a young age. Before becoming a leading actress, she appeared in Malayalam films including Rani Padmini and Anuraga Karikkin Vellam. Director Bala noticed her performance in Anuraga Karikkin Vellam and cast her in Naachiyaar (2018), which marked an important step in her Tamil-film career.

Her breakthrough came with Love Today, directed by and starring Pradeep Ranganathan. The film became a major commercial success and made Ivana a familiar name among Tamil audiences. She later appeared in LGM: Let’s Get Married, Kalvan, Dragon, #Single and Jolliya Iruntha Oruthan.

Ivana Biography – Quick Facts

Ivana’s date of birth and birth name are documented in her biographical profile, while her filmography confirms her work across Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu cinema.

Ivana Age and Birthday

Ivana was born on 25 February 2000, making her 26 years old as of July 2026. She was born in Kerala and entered the film industry while still a child.

Her early start gave her the opportunity to gain experience in front of the camera before taking on lead roles. Over the years, she moved from child-artiste appearances to prominent roles in Tamil films.

Ivana Real Name

Ivana’s real name is Aleena Shaji. She adopted the screen name Ivana while entering Tamil cinema. Reports about her career explain that director Bala suggested a stage name that would be easier for Tamil audiences to pronounce, and the name Ivana was eventually chosen.

The name became closely associated with her after Naachiyaar, and she has continued to work professionally under the name Ivana.

Ivana Family

Ivana comes from Kerala and has a family background that includes her father Shaji Cherian. Some biographical sources also identify her siblings as Leo Shaji and Laya Shaji.

Ivana has generally kept details about her private life away from the public spotlight. As a result, claims about relationships or marriage should be treated cautiously unless she or a reliable source confirms them.

Ivana Education

After completing her school education, Ivana pursued higher studies in commerce. Biographical sources report that she completed a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree in Kerala.

Her educational journey took place alongside her growing interest in acting. Because she started working as a child artist, she had experience in the entertainment industry well before she became a full-time leading actress.

Ivana Career as a Child Artist

Ivana began her film career as a child artist in the Malayalam film Masters (2012). She was around 12 years old when she appeared in the film.

She later appeared in ** Rani Padmini (2015)** and ** Anuraga Karikkin Vellam (2016)**. Her performance in Anuraga Karikkin Vellam became particularly important because it eventually attracted director Bala’s attention.

These early Malayalam projects gave Ivana valuable acting experience and helped her transition toward more substantial roles.

Ivana Tamil Debut – Naachiyaar

Ivana made her Tamil-film debut with ** Naachiyaar (2018)**, directed by Bala and starring Jyothika and G. V. Prakash Kumar.

She played Arasi, a character whose story becomes central to the film’s dramatic narrative. Bala had noticed Ivana after seeing her work in Anuraga Karikkin Vellam and subsequently selected her for the Tamil project.

Her performance received attention and earned her nominations for Best Debut Actress in Tamil at the Filmfare Awards South and SIIMA.

Ivana Movies

Some notable Ivana movies include:

• Masters (2012)
• Rani Padmini (2015)
• Anuraga Karikkin Vellam (2016)
• Naachiyaar (2018)
• Hero (2019)
• Love Today (2022)
• LGM: Let’s Get Married (2023)
• Mathimaran (2023)
• Kalvan (2024)
• Dragon (2025)
• #Single (2025)
• Jolliya Iruntha Oruthan (2026)

Her filmography shows a gradual transition from Malayalam child-artist roles to Tamil lead roles and later projects in Telugu cinema.

Ivana in Love Today

** Love Today (2022)** represents the biggest breakthrough in Ivana’s career. Directed by Pradeep Ranganathan, the romantic comedy featured Ivana as Nikitha, opposite Pradeep Ranganathan.

The film revolves around a young couple who are forced to exchange their phones before marriage, leading to a series of comic and emotional situations.

Ivana’s performance as Nikitha helped her connect strongly with younger audiences. The success of the film significantly increased her popularity and made Ivana Love Today one of the most searched combinations associated with her career.

The film’s success also established Ivana as a leading actress rather than only a performer known for supporting or child roles.

Ivana in LGM: Let’s Get Married

In ** LGM: Let’s Get Married (2023)**, Ivana played the female lead Meera. The film featured Harish Kalyan in the lead and was produced by former Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sakshi Dhoni.

The project gave Ivana another opportunity to play a contemporary romantic character after the success of Love Today.

Ivana in Kalvan

Ivana appeared in ** Kalvan (2024)**, a Tamil drama directed by P. V. Shankar. The film featured G. V. Prakash Kumar in the lead.

The movie added another different character to Ivana’s growing filmography and demonstrated her continued presence in Tamil cinema following Love Today.

Ivana in Dragon

Ivana appeared in ** Dragon (2025)**, directed by Ashwath Marimuthu. The film featured Pradeep Ranganathan in the lead and became another major Tamil release in her post-Love Today career.

Her involvement in Dragon also reunited her professionally with Pradeep Ranganathan after the success of Love Today.

Ivana in #Single

Ivana expanded her work into Telugu cinema with ** #Single (2025)**. The film starred Nithiin and featured Ivana as part of the principal cast.

This project added another language to her growing filmography and demonstrated her efforts to build a career beyond Tamil cinema.

Ivana Latest Movie

As of July 2026, ** Jolliya Iruntha Oruthan** is listed among Ivana’s latest Tamil projects. The film features Ivana and Jiiva and is associated with the Tamil comedy genre.

Her recent work shows that she continues to explore different genres while maintaining her presence in Tamil cinema.

Ivana Awards and Recognition

Ivana received attention early in her Tamil career for her performance in Naachiyaar. She received Filmfare Awards South and SIIMA nominations for Best Debut Actress in Tamil for the film.

Her biggest popularity boost, however, came through Love Today. The film’s commercial success introduced her to a much wider audience and established her as one of the recognizable young actresses in Tamil cinema.

Ivana Personal Life

Ivana has largely maintained privacy regarding her personal relationships. Although searches for Ivana boyfriend and Ivana husband are common, there is no reliable confirmation in the sources reviewed establishing a current husband or publicly confirmed relationship.

Therefore, online rumours should not be presented as established facts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ivana’s real name?

Ivana’s real name is Aleena Shaji. She adopted Ivana as her professional screen name.

How old is Ivana?

Ivana was born on 25 February 2000 and is 26 years old as of July 2026.

What was Ivana’s first movie?

Ivana began her film career as a child artist in the Malayalam movie ** Masters (2012)**.

What is Ivana’s most popular movie?

Her most widely recognized film is ** Love Today (2022)**, in which she played Nikitha opposite Pradeep Ranganathan.

Which movie marked Ivana’s Tamil debut?

Ivana made her Tamil debut with ** Naachiyaar (2018)**, directed by Bala.

Is Ivana married?

There is no reliable confirmation in the sources reviewed that Ivana is married. Claims about her personal relationships should not be treated as confirmed without a credible source.

Conclusion

Ivana’s biography reflects a gradual journey from child artist to leading actress in South Indian cinema. Born Aleena Shaji on 25 February 2000, she started acting in Malayalam cinema with Masters at a young age. Her performances in Rani Padmini and Anuraga Karikkin Vellam helped her gain the experience that eventually led to her Tamil debut in Naachiyaar.

The turning point in her career came with ** Love Today**. Her portrayal of Nikitha brought her widespread popularity and established her among the younger generation of Tamil actresses. She subsequently appeared in films such as LGM: Let’s Get Married, Mathimaran, Kalvan, Dragon and Telugu film #Single.

With her continued appearances in Tamil and Telugu projects, Ivana is building a diverse filmography while moving steadily beyond her early child-artist roles.

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