Ivana (actress)
Ivana | |
|---|---|
| Born | Aleena Shaji |
| Other names | Ivana |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2012–present |
Aleena Shaji, known by her stage name Ivana, is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Tamil cinema, in addition to few Malayalam films. Starting her career as a child artist in several Malayalam films, she made her lead debut in Naachiyaar (2018) and became well known for her role as Nikhita in Love Today (2022) to the audiences. She also played the character of Harini in Single in 2025.
Career
Aleena began her career as a child actress in the Malayalam film industry through supporting role in Masters (2012), before working on Rani Padmini (2015), three years later. Aleena then portrayed a pivotal role in Anuraga Karikkin Vellam (2016) as the daughter of the lead character.[1] Director Bala had spotted a news article about Anuraga Karikkun Vellam online and subsequently chose to cast Aleena in his Tamil film, Naachiyaar (2018), which also had Jyothika and G. V. Prakash Kumar in pivotal roles. Bala requested that she should use a stage name which would be easier to pronounce for Tamil audiences, and with the assistance of her cousin, she finalised the name Ivana.[2] In order to prepare for her role, she undertook Tamil classes, while her co-actors assisted and gave her tips when filming certain scenes.[3] Portraying Arasi, a young, innocent girl, Ivana received praise for her performance. Sify.com noted "with and a pretty fresh face and large expressive eyes, Ivana makes a wholly believable Arasi".[4] Likewise, critics from The Indian Express noted that Ivana makes "an impressive debut", while India Today's reviewer stated that Ivana gives a "splendid performance" and her "expressions are pleasing and pretty convincing".[5][6]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Masters | Young Daksha | Malayalam | |
| 2015 | Rani Padmini | Young Rani | ||
| 2016 | Anuraga Karikkin Vellam | Anu Raghu | ||
| 2018 | Naachiyaar | Kottaiarasi (Arasi) | Tamil | |
| 2019 | Hero | Mathi | ||
| 2022 | Love Today | Nikitha | ||
| 2023 | LGM: Let's Get Married | Meera | ||
| Mathimaran | Mathi | |||
| 2024 | Kalvan | Balamani | ||
| 2025 | Dragon | Harini | Cameo appearance | |
| Single | Harini | Telugu | [7] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 8th SIIMA Awards | Best Debut Actress | Naachiyaar | Nominated | [8] |
| Filmfare Awards South | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | [8] |
References
- ^ "Anuraga Karikkin Vellam review". Reelistic Views. 18 November 2016. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ Tamil The Hindu (21 February 2018). 'Jyothika helped me to cry' : 'Nachiyaar' Ivana Interview. Hindu Tamil Thisai. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2018 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Naachiyaar: A debut to remember for Ivana". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Review : Naachiyaar review: A perfectly satisfying watch that (2018)". Sify. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Naachiyaar Movie Review: Finally, a Bala film with a happy ending". India Today. 16 February 2018. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Naachiyaar movie review: Jyothika, GV Prakash Kumar shine in a surprisingly 'soft' Bala movie". The Indian Express. 16 February 2018. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Sree Vishnu's 18th film is titled 'Single'". Telugu Cinema. 10 February 2025. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
- ^ a b "Awards 2018 – SIIMA". SIIMA. Archived from the original on 23 February 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.