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Jiya Shankar Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth17 April 1995

Age28 Years (as of 2023)

BirthplaceMumbai, Maharashtra, India

ProfessionActress and Model

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyMother: Surekha Gavli

Net worthINR 4 Crores

Jiya Shankar Biography

Jiya Shankar is an Indian television and film actress from Mumbai who rose through regional cinema and TV serials to broader recognition, notably for herTV

Early life and background

Jiya Shankar was born on April 17, 1995, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, into a middle-class family. Her mother, Surekha Gavli, worked as a hairstylist. Jiya has spoken about her parents' divorce when she was a young teenager; that period affected her confidence and well-being, and she has described a difficult recovery during her school years.

As a student she was shy but active in sports rather than performing arts. Acting remained an early aspiration, and after finishing college she began auditioning while also briefly studying digital marketing, a course she did not complete. Seeking formal training, she enrolled at Anupam Kher’s acting school, which she credits with improving both her acting skills and personal confidence. That training helped her move from auditions and advertising work into acting jobs in regional films and television.

Career

Jiya’s on-screen career began in South Indian cinema. Her first Telugu film role was in Entha Andanga Unnave (2013), where she played a character sharing her own name. That early film performed well for its modest budget and introduced her to audiences outside Mumbai. She later appeared in the Tamil film Kanavu Variyam (2017), a project that reached a national audience and received awards recognition.

Parallel to her film work, Jiya began appearing in Hindi television and digital projects. Her television debut came in 2015 with Love by Chance on Bindaas TV, and she later appeared in episodic shows including Twist Wala Love, Gumrah, and Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. She took a lead role on a Big Magic show in 2015 and earned wider attention in 2016 for her performance as Shreya Dixit in Queens Hai Hum.

A turning point arrived in 2017 when she was cast in Meri Hanikarak Biwi, a television comedy with an unusual premise that brought her broader recognition and increased confidence in her work. Her performance led to more offers across television and streaming platforms.

In 2020 Jiya expanded into web series with a role as Pakhi in Virgin Bhasskar Season 2 for Alt Balaji. Later that year she landed a lead role in the television drama Kaatelal & Sons, portraying a Haryanvi character whose dialogue and regional portrayal were widely noted and well received. Her on-screen pairing with co-star Paras Arora proved popular with audiences.

Jiya continued to diversify into regional films, making her Marathi film debut in 2022 with Ved, where she played Nisha Katkar, the ex-girlfriend of a character played by Riteish Deshmukh.

Public profile

Jiya has cultivated a public persona that spans television, regional films, and streaming content. Her work on Kaatelal & Sons heightened her visibility on television, and her participation as a contestant on Bigg Boss OTT Season 2 in 2023 further raised her profile and expanded her fan base.

She is known for her on-screen versatility — moving between comedy, drama and region-specific roles — and for drawing praise for believable dialect work. While Jiya has not publicly detailed aspects of her personal relationships or education beyond what she has discussed in interviews, her career trajectory reflects a steady progression from regional films and advertisements to mainstream Indian television and digital platforms.

Latest updates

In 2023 Jiya appeared as a contestant on Bigg Boss OTT Season 2, a move that increased her visibility and public following. Her most recent film credit listed is the 2022 Marathi movie Ved, and her television and web work include Kaatelal & Sons and Virgin Bhasskar Season 2.

Looking ahead, Jiya’s career path shows a pattern of taking diverse roles across languages and formats, building on formal acting training and early regional successes to secure larger television and streaming projects.
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Recent Work

Bigg Boss OTT Season 2

Contestant on the reality show (2023)

2023
Ved

Marathi film (role: Nisha Katkar)

2022
Kaatelal & Sons

Television drama (lead role as a Haryanvi girl)

2020
Virgin Bhasskar Season 2

Web series (role: Pakhi)

2020
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted in Telugu cinema with Entha Andanga Unnave (2013)
  2. Recognized on television for Meri Hanikarak Biwi (2017)
  3. Lead role in Kaatelal & Sons (2020)
  4. Expanded into Marathi cinema with Ved (2022)
  5. Contestant on Bigg Boss OTT Season 2 (2023)
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Net Worth

$490k

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Jiya Shankar born?

17 April 1995

What is Jiya Shankar known for?

Actress and Model

What is Jiya Shankar’s marital status?

Unmarried

What is Jiya Shankar’s net worth?

INR 4 Crores