Ivana

Biography:

Aleena Shaji, sometimes known as Ivana, is an Indian actress who primarily performs in Tamil and Malayalam-language movies.

Aleena debuted as a child actress in the Malayalam film industry with a supporting part in Masters (2012), and three years later, she appeared in Rani Padmini. Then, as the protagonist’s daughter in Anuraga Karikkin Vellam (2016), Aleena played a crucial part. Aleena was chosen for the lead part in the 2018 Tamil film Naachiyaar by director Bala after finding a news item on Anuraga Karikkun Vellam online. Other important cast members included Jyothika and G. V. Prakash Kumar.

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.

In order to prepare for her role, she undertook Tamil classes, while her co-actors assisted and gave her tips when filming certain scenes. Portraying Arasi, a young, innocent girl, Ivana won rave reviews for her performance. Sify.com noted “with and a pretty fresh face and large expressive eyes, Ivana makes a wholly believable Arasi”. Likewise, critics from The New 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”