Kiara Advani, whose real name is Alia Advani, is a talented Indian actress who has made her mark in both Bollywood and Telugu cinema. Her rise to fame began with her debut in the comedy film ‘Fugly’ (2014), but it was her portrayal of MS Dhoni’s wife in the biopic ‘M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story’ (2016) that marked her as a notable actress in Indian cinema. Kiara Advani’s career has since been marked by a series of successful films, including ‘Kabir Singh’ (2019), ‘Good Newwz’ (2019), and ‘Shershaah’ (2021).
Early Life
Kiara Advani was born on July 31, 1992, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. She is the daughter of Jagdeep Advani, a Sindhi Hindu businessman, and Genevieve Jaffrey, a teacher with a diverse heritage that includes Scottish, Irish, Portuguese, and Spanish roots. She has a younger brother, Mishaal Advani, who is a musician. Advani’s maternal family includes notable figures in the entertainment industry, such as actors Ashok Kumar and Saeed Jaffrey, who are her step-great-grandfather and great-uncle, respectively.
Educated at the prestigious Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, Advani went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication from Jai Hind College, Mumbai. She changed her first name to Kiara before her film debut. This decision was inspired by Priyanka Chopra’s character Kiara in the film ‘Anjaana Anjaani’ (2010), and was also influenced by Salman Khan, who advised her to avoid confusion with the already established actress Alia Bhatt.
Career Beginnings
Kiara Advani’s acting career began with the 2014 ensemble comedy film ‘Fugly’. Her major breakthrough came with the sports drama ‘M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story’ (2016), where she played the role of Sakshi Rawat, the wife of cricketer MS Dhoni, portrayed by Sushant Singh Rajput. The film was a massive commercial success, grossing over ₹216 crore globally, and solidified Advani’s position in the industry.
In 2017, Advani appeared in Abbas–Mustan’s action thriller ‘Machine’, which failed to make an impact at the box office. However, her collaboration with filmmaker Karan Johar in the Netflix anthology film ‘Lust Stories’ (2018) received positive reviews. Advani’s portrayal of a sexually dissatisfied wife opposite Vicky Kaushal was highlighted as a strong performance by NDTV’s Raja Sen.
Advani’s entry into Telugu cinema came with the action film ‘Bharat Ane Nenu’ (2018), where she starred alongside Mahesh Babu. The film was a major success, grossing ₹225 crore worldwide. However, her subsequent Telugu film, ‘Vinaya Vidheya Rama’, did not fare as well critically or commercially.
Rise to Stardom
The year 2019 marked a turning point in Advani’s career. Her role in the romantic drama ‘Kabir Singh’, starring Shahid Kapoor, earned her widespread attention. Despite the film’s controversial portrayal of misogyny, it became one of the highest-grossing films of the year, with a worldwide gross of over ₹378 crore.
Following *Kabir Singh*, Advani starred in ‘Good Newwz’, a comedy-drama about two couples dealing with IVF complications. The film was a commercial success, grossing over ₹200 crore domestically, and Advani won the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role.
Later Works and Success
In 2020, Advani appeared in ‘Guilty’, a Netflix film about sexual assault, where she played a troubled college student. While the film received mixed reviews, Advani’s performance was praised. She also starred in ‘Laxmii’, a horror comedy that was released digitally on Disney+ Hotstar due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in ‘Indoo Ki Jawani’, a romantic comedy that also received modest attention.
Advani’s 2021 release, ‘Shershaah’, based on the life of army officer Vikram Batra, was a major success on Amazon Prime Video, becoming the most-streamed Indian film. Her performance as Batra’s girlfriend was well-received, earning her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
The following year, she featured in ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’, a comedy horror film that became one of her biggest commercial successes, with earnings of over ₹2.6 billion. She also starred in ‘Jugjugg Jeeyo’, a comedy-drama about divorce, which grossed ₹1.35 billion worldwide.
In 2023, Advani appeared in ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’, a romantic drama about a troubled marriage, which earned her a second Filmfare nomination for Best Actress. Her upcoming projects include the Telugu film ‘Game Changer’ and the YRF Spy Universe action sequel ‘War 2’.
Personal Life
Despite rumors of a relationship with actor Sidharth Malhotra since 2020, Advani remained private about her personal life. On February 7, 2023, she married Malhotra in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
Endorsements
Advani endorses numerous brands, including Audi, Galaxy Chocolate, Colgate, and Slice. She has also collaborated with Myntra and Spanish retailer Mango. Her recent endorsements include Reliance Retail’s beauty brand Tira and Quaker Oats Company.
In March 2023, she performed at the opening ceremony of the Women’s Premier League and in October 2023, she participated in the “Entertainer No. 1” tour in Doha. Advani’s presence in the entertainment industry continues to grow, with her being one of the most searched personalities on Google in India.