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Jiya Shankar (Bigg Boss OTT 2) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth17 April 1995

Age31 Years

BirthplaceMumbai

ProfessionActor

NationalityIndian

Marital statusEngaged

FamilyMother - Surekha Gavli (hairstylist); Fiancé - Kaaran Dhanak

Jiya Shankar (Bigg Boss OTT 2) Biography

Jiya Shankar is an Indian actor from Mumbai known for television roles and reality-TV appearances. Trained at Anupam Kher’s acting school, she has worked跨s

Early life and background

Jiya Shankar was born on 17 April 1995 in Mumbai. She grew up in the city that remains her hometown. Her parents separated when she was 13, an event she has said affected her emotionally and her school performance. Her mother, Surekha Gavli, worked as a hairstylist.

Jiya attended Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares for formal acting training. Before committing to acting, she enrolled in a digital marketing course but did not complete it. During her school years she enjoyed sports such as kho-kho and practiced gymnastics. She has described herself as an introvert earlier in life and credits acting training with helping her gain confidence and become more comfortable in social situations.

Career

Jiya has worked across film, television and web projects in multiple Indian languages. Her film debut came in Telugu with the 2013 film Entha Andanga Unnave, in which she appeared as the character Jiya. She later appeared in the Tamil film Kanavu Variyam (2016) as Veena and made her Marathi film debut in Ved (2022) playing Nisha Katkar.

On television, Jiya built recognition with roles in Hindi series. She played Alisha Rai in the 2015 romantic-comedy series Love by Chance and gained wider attention as Dr. Iravati Desai Pandey (Ira) in Meri Hanikarak Biwi, which ran from 2017 to 2019 on &TV. In 2020 she appeared in the Hindi web series Virgin Bhasskar 2 as Pakhi.

Beyond acting in scripted shows, Jiya hosted the Sony SAB comedy show Good Night India in 2022. In 2023 she participated as a contestant on Bigg Boss OTT Season 2, a reality series streamed on JioCinema.

Public profile

Jiya is visually described as approximately 163 cm (5'4") tall and weighing around 55 kg (121 lbs). Her eye colour is dark brown and her hair is black with dark ash blonde highlights. She has tattoos on her right arm and on the back of her left shoulder.

Outside of work, Jiya enjoys drawing and painting, activities she uses to relax. She also reads extensively and maintains a notable personal book collection. She keeps a Persian cat named Sky as a pet. Jiya has shared occasional personal moments on social media, including posts indicating she drinks alcohol on various occasions.

Personal life

As of the information provided, Jiya is engaged. Her fiancé is named Kaaran Dhanak, who is described as a businessman. The excerpt lists her marital status as engaged and notes an engagement date in August 2026.

The profile also notes that Jiya faced bullying during college and went through a period of depression after her parents’ separation; she has spoken publicly about how these experiences affected her studies and shaped her early years.

Latest updates

In 2023 Jiya appeared on Bigg Boss OTT Season 2. The same year she addressed a public controversy involving allegations circulated online; she responded on social media denying the claims as false.

Career highlights

Jiya has worked across regional film industries and Hindi-language television, earning recognition for roles in Meri Hanikarak Biwi and Kaatelal & Sons. Her body of work includes film roles in Telugu, Tamil and Marathi cinema, web-series work, and hosting duties on television.

For fans and followers, Jiya continues to be active on social platforms and regularly shares updates about her professional projects and personal interests.
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Recent Work

Bigg Boss OTT Season 2

Contestant on the reality series streamed on JioCinema

2023
Good Night India

Host of the comedy show on Sony SAB

2022
Ved

Marathi film in which she played Nisha Katkar

2022
Virgin Bhasskar 2

Web series role as Pakhi

2020
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted in Telugu film Entha Andanga Unnave (2013)
  2. Role as Dr. Iravati Desai Pandey in Meri Hanikarak Biwi (2017–2019)
  3. Appeared in Tamil film Kanavu Variyam (2016)
  4. Hosted Good Night India (2022)
  5. Contestant on Bigg Boss OTT Season 2 (2023)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Jiya Shankar (Bigg Boss OTT 2) born?

17 April 1995

What is Jiya Shankar (Bigg Boss OTT 2) known for?

Actor

What is Jiya Shankar (Bigg Boss OTT 2)’s marital status?

Engaged