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Riya Sen Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth24 January 1981

Age44 Years

BirthplaceKolkata, West Bengal, India

ProfessionActress

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseShivam Tewari

FamilyMother: Moon Moon Sen; Father: Bharat Dev Varma; Sister: Raima Sen; Grandmother: Suchitra Sen

Riya Sen Biography

Riya Sen is an Indian actress and model who has worked across multiple Indian film industries and in English-language projects. Born in Kolkata into a film

Early life and background

Riya Sen was born on 24 January 1981 in Kolkata, West Bengal. She comes from a family with deep roots in Indian cinema: her mother is Moon Moon Sen and her grandmother was the noted actress Suchitra Sen. Her sister, Raima Sen, is also an actress. Riya grew up in Kolkata, attended Loreto House school and later studied at Rani Birla Girls' College. She completed a course at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Mumbai and holds a college graduate qualification.

Career

Riya first appeared on screen as a child artist in the 1991 Bollywood film Vishkanya. As a teenager she gained wide visibility through modeling, notably after appearing in Falguni Pathak’s 1998 music video "Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi." Her breakthrough acting role came in 1999 with the Tamil film Taj Mahal, where she played Machakanni.

After that, Riya worked across several film industries. Her Hindi acting debut as an adult came with the 2001 film Style. The same year she appeared in Bengali cinema with Mone Pore Tomake. She went on to act in Malayalam (Anandabhadram, 2005), Telugu (Nenu Meeku Telusa...?, 2008), Oriya (My Love Story, 2013) and an English-language project titled It Was Raining That Night (2005). In addition to feature films, Riya has acted in a short film, Lonely Girl (2017), and appeared in the web series Ragini MMS: Returns (2017).

Alongside acting, Riya has maintained an extensive modelling and brand-endorsement career. She has represented a range of consumer and beauty products and worked with prominent Indian fashion designers on the ramp. Between 2003 and 2007 she was the only woman to appear on a particular annual calendar for five consecutive years. Her public visibility has also included magazine covers and serving on the jury for the Mr India 2008 contest finale.

Training and other pursuits

Riya has classical dance training in Kathak and has continued learning under a named teacher. She is a certified yoga teacher and trainer, and lists hobbies that include swimming, yoga, music, dancing and painting. Riya has been involved in activism as well, participating in an AIDS awareness music video intended to counter misconceptions about the disease.

Public profile

Riya’s appearance and public image have often been discussed in relation to her mother, who was a celebrated screen presence in her era. Publications have recognised her attractiveness—Femina magazine ranked her ninth in a 2007 list of ‘‘50 Most Beautiful Women.’’ She has been photographed for magazine covers and has been a familiar face in fashion advertising and television commercials.

Her family background includes ties to Tripura’s royal family through her father, Bharat Dev Varma. Her mother Moon Moon Sen has also been active in politics, having served as a Member of Parliament from Bankura.

Personal notes

Riya married Shivam Tewari on 16 August 2017. She does not have children listed in the available information. She is an animal lover with a particular fondness for dogs. She follows a non-vegetarian diet and has openly shared lifestyle details such as past efforts to curb certain indulgences. She is reported to have experienced a non-serious on-set accident during the filming of Shaadi No. 1 (2005) in France when a stunt incident caused her to lose consciousness but did not result in significant injury.

Latest updates

In November 2022 Riya was seen joining Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the Maharashtra leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Akola; images and video of her walking with him circulated widely on social media. Her recent screen work includes the short film Lonely Girl (2017) and the 2017 web series Ragini MMS: Returns.
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Recent Work

Lonely Girl

Short film in which she played Radhika Kapoor

2017
Ragini MMS: Returns

Web series in which she played Simran

2017
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Career Highlights

  1. First on-screen appearance as a child artist in Vishkanya (1991)
  2. Breakthrough role in Tamil film Taj Mahal (1999)
  3. Hindi film debut as an adult in Style (2001)
  4. Worked across Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, English, Telugu and Oriya cinema
  5. Star Guild Bengali Film Award for Best Actress for Noukadubi (2012)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Riya Sen born?

24 January 1981

What is Riya Sen known for?

Actress

What is Riya Sen’s marital status?

Married

Who is Riya Sen married to?

Shivam Tewari