'Jawaani Jaaneman' to 'Srikanth': Birthday girl Alaya F's evolution as an actress

Experimentation and Alaya F are soulmates. She started out with an unconventional role in Jawaani Jaaneman, kept everyone on the edge of their seats with Freddy, displayed her grit in U-Turn and brought soft femininity to the fore with Srikanth. For a fresh face, a roster spanning films across unique genres is no mean feat, but it’s her artistic ambition that makes her a promising actress to look up to.

As she rings in another year, here’s looking at Alaya’s evolution as an actress.

Jawaani Jaaneman (2020):

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Convention was never in her dictionary. Alaya made her debut with Jawaani Jaaneman and played the emotionally layered role of Tia, a 21-year-old from Amsterdam who comes to London for work - and is also pregnant. At times when fresh faces would be a bit hesitant to portray a character as such to mark their debut, Alaya made the confident choice and delivered an impactful performance that fetched her a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.

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Freddy (2022):

Alaya stepped into a new territory with Freddy, a psychological thriller and showcased a fine improvement in her acting range. As Kainaaz, she played a character that one would hate, but served a performance one would appreciate - and that’s what validates her growing graph. From intense emotional layers to mind-games, Alaya tested the waters of a psychological thriller and delivered an unmissable watch!

U-Turn (2023):

Next, Alaya stepped into a supernatural thriller with U-Turn and played a news intern who ends up being the primary suspect in a series of murders while working on a news story. Alaya gives an earnest performance while displaying her acting skills to the fullest, expanding her range as a dynamic performer.

Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat (2023):

In Anurag Kashyap’s musical romantic drama film, Alaya lent weight to the narrative that shows societal challenges and cliches in a unique way - making for an unconventional screen choice yet again. The actress received immense appreciation for her engaging performance and also for adding a strong title to her body of work.

Srikanth (2024):

In this biographical film, Alaya brought heart and soul as Veera Swathi, Rajkummar Rao’s on-screen love interest. She layered the film with feminine softness and heartfelt moments that showcased her ability to step into roles that demand subtlety - and it simply proved her drive to be an all-rounder!