Aleena Shaji, professionally known as Ivana, is a popular Indian actress primarily working in Tamil and Malayalam-language films. Born on February 25, 2000, she gained immense recognition for her exceptional acting in the 2022 Tamil romantic comedy-drama film “Love Today,” directed by Pradeep Ranganathan.
Initially starting her career in the Malayalam film industry, Aleena appeared in a supporting role in “Masters” (2012) and later starred in “Rani Padmini” (2015). Her breakthrough came with the film “Anuraga Karikkin Vellam” (2016), where she portrayed a significant role as the protagonist’s daughter. Director Bala, having discovered Aleena through an online article on “Anuraga Karikkin Vellam,” cast her in his Tamil film “Naachiyaar” (2018) alongside Jyothika and G. V. Prakash Kumar. Bala suggested she adopt the stage name, Ivana, making it easier for Tamil audiences to pronounce. To perfect her performance, she attended Tamil lessons and received guidance from her co-stars. Ivana’s portrayal of the young and naive character Arasi garnered high praise, with her “lovely fresh face and huge expressive eyes” bringing Arasi to life, as praised by Sify.com. The New Indian Express commended her “outstanding debut,” and India Today lauded her “splendid performance” and “believable” facial expressions.
Aleena’s career began as a child actress in the Malayalam film industry, taking on a supporting role in “Masters” (2012) before appearing in “Rani Padmini” (2015) three years later. Director Bala, after coming across an online news article about “Anuraga Karikkin Vellam,” chose Aleena for his Tamil film “Naachiyaar” (2018), where she acted alongside Jyothika and G. V. Prakash Kumar. Bala requested that she adopt a stage name more familiar to Tamil audiences, and with the help of her cousin, she settled on the name Ivana. She took Tamil classes to prepare for her role and received support and advice from her co-stars during filming. Her portrayal of Arasi, a young and innocent girl, earned rave reviews. Sify.com praised her “pretty fresh face and large expressive eyes,” noting her convincing performance as Arasi. Similarly, critics from The New Indian Express hailed her “impressive debut,” and India Today’s reviewer commended her “splendid performance” and “convincing expressions.”
