Shruti Sawant, known by her stage name Ineya, is an Indian actress who predominantly appears in Malayalam and Tamil films.[1]

Ineya
Born
Shruti Sawant

OccupationActress
Years active2005–present
RelativesSwathi Thara (sister)

She won the Edison Award for Best Debut Actress and Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress for her role in the Tamil film Vaagai Sooda Vaa (2011) as well as Kerala Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in the Malayalam for Parole (2018) and Pengalila (2019).

Early life

Ineya, whose real name is Shruti Sawant was born to Salahuddin. S and Savithri at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. She has an elder sister, Swathi, who is also a Malayalam television actress and a younger brother, Sravan.[2] Ineya had her primary education at Thiruvananthapuram from Amritha Vidyalaya, Fort Girls Mission High School and Manakkad Karthika Thirunnal High School. She did her B.B.A course by correspondence.[3]

Career

Ineya acted in several Malayalam television series, short films and telefilms as a child artist.[2][4] While studying in class four, she acted in the telefilm Koottilekku, which was followed by appearances in tele-serials Orma and Sree Guruvayoorappan by Vayalar Madhavan Kutty.[5] Ineya won the Miss Trivandrum title in 2005, following which she did modeling and appeared in several television advertisements as well as a number of Malayalam award-winning art films, including Saira (2006), directed Dr. Biju, Dalamarmarangal (2009) and Umma (2011), both directed by Vijayakrishnan.[5][6] She also played a pivotal role in Rajesh Touchriver's short feature The Sacred Face, which focusses on child abuse.[5]

In 2010, she starred in a Tamil film Padagasalai and signed up four more Tamil films,[7][8] all of which were cancelled or remain unreleased. She next played a supporting role as the sister to Cheran's character in Mysskin's mystery thriller Yuddham Sei.[9] Director A. Sarkunam signed her for the female lead character in his period piece Vaagai Sooda Vaa (2011), for which she changed her screen name to Ineya.[10] Her portrayal of a tea stall owner was lauded by critics. Pavithra Srinivasan of Rediff wrote that she was a "welcome find", describing her as "natural, appealing, and very expressive".[9] She played as a medical student and love interest of the hero in the film Mouna Guru co-starring Arulnidhi.[11]

She was part of a number of offbeat films in Malayalam like Ayaal, Bhoopadathil Illatha Oridam and Radio. In 2014, she was first seen as herself in Vikraman's Ninaithathu Yaaro[12] then in Pulivaal, the Tamil remake of the Malayalam film Chaappa Kurishu and Naan Sigappu Manithan.[13] In her only Malayalam release of 2014, Madhu Kaithapram's Vellivelichathil (In the Limelight), she played the role of a dancer.[14] She is seen in a dance number in the comedy entertainer Amar Akbar Anthony (2015). She also part of the bilingual titled Alone (2015) and Girls (2016).[15]

Ineya portrayed a character named Lovely in Swarnakaduva (2016), directed by Jose Thomas. The actress was much praised for her powerful performance in the movie .She working with actor Mammootty, for the first time in Puthan Panam (2017).[16]

Iniya’s performance in the movies Parole (2018) and Pengalila (2019) won her the second Best Supporting Actress award at the Kerala Film Critics Association Awards.[17] She playing the title role in Tamil film Pottu (2019), a horror-comedy. [18] Ineya was seen in the Malayalam film Mamangam (2019), and she shared screen space wwith Megastar Mammootty in the film. Her performance in the film was well appreciated.[19]

In 2020, Ineya has also signed a new movie opposite Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar titled Drona in which she has a meaty role.[20] She then appear in The Tamil TV soap Kannana Kanne.[21] She has played the lead in the thriller Coffee (2021) directly on TV.[22] Later Ineya, who plays Vimal's wife in the crime web series Vilangu (2022) started streaming on ZEE5.[23]She working with Samuthirakani in the crime thriller Naan Kadavul Illai (2023) directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar.[24]

Filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleLanguageNotes
2005SairaAleenaMalayalam
2007TimeUnknown
2008ThrillHemaCredited as Nirmisha
2009DalamarmarangalAswathyCredited as Nirmisha
2010PadagasalaiAbhiramiTamil
2011Yuddham SeiCharu
UmmaUnknownMalayalam
Vaagai Sooda VaaMadhiTamilEdison Award for Best Debut Actress
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress
Nominated, Vijay Award for Best Debut Actress
Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil
Mouna GuruAarthiTamil
2012Bhoopadathil Illatha OridamBhaamaMalayalam
Ammavin KaipesiSelviTamil
2013Omega.exeAleena AntonyMalayalam
RadioShwetha
Kan Pesum VaarthaigalJananiTamil
Chennaiyil Oru NaalSwetha
MaasaniMasani
AyaalChakkaraMalayalam
NugamKathir's girl friendTamil
2014Ninaithathu YaaroHerselfSpecial appearance
PulivaalPavithra
Naan Sigappu ManithanKavitha
Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam IyakkamHerselfSpecial appearance
VellivelichathilTanujaMalayalam
Oru Oorla Rendu RajaStreet dancerTamilSpecial appearance
2015RosapookalamRoseMalayalam
Amar Akbar AnthonyBar dancerSpecial appearance
AloneRamyaKannadaMultilingual
2016Karai OramTamil
LeelaTelugu
Girls SophiaMalayalamBilingual film
Thiraikku Varaadha KadhaiTamil
SwarnakaduvaLovelyMalayalam
2017Koditta Idangalai NirappugaDancerTamilCameo appearance in a song
Vaigai ExpressSwapnapriya
Puthan PanamSundariMalayalam
Sathura Adi 3500SophieTamil
AakashamittayeeRadhikaMalayalam
2018ParoleAnnieKerala Film Critics Association Award for Second Best Actress
2019PengalilaRekhaKerala Film Critics Association Award for Second Best Actress
PottuPottuTamil
ThakkolSarahMalayalam
MamangamUnnineeliRamu Karyat award - Special Jury
2020DronaGuru's wifeKannada
2021WriterSaranyaTamil
2022AadhaarSaroja
CoffeeSathya
2023Naan Kadavul IllaiMaisu
2024DNAMalayalam[25]

Television

Serials
YearTitleRoleChannelLanguage
2005OrmaDancer in title songAsianetMalayalam
2007JalamSurya TV
Sree GuruvayurappanYoung Poothana
2020–2021; 2023Kannana KanneKousalya and Chief DoctorSun TVTamil
2022–2023KanalpoovuAshwathy MahadevanSurya TVMalayalam
Shows
YearTitleRoleChannelLanguage
2012Super KudumbamCelebrity judgeSun TVTamil
Comedy StarsDancerAsianetMalayalam
2013Munch StarsHerself
2014Let's Dance: Season 2JudgeAmrita TV
2015Smart ShowParticipantFlowers
GenesZee TamilTamil
2019Kerala Dance LeagueJudgeAmrita TVMalayalam
Comedy StarsCelebrity judgeAsianet
Surya Jodi No.1JudgeSurya TV
2021Star SingerPerformer for Shankaram fusionAsianet
Star MagicMentorFlowers
Dance Vs Dance 2Colors TamilTamil
2023Red CarpetAmrita TVMalayalam
Other Works
YearTitleRoleChannelLanguage !1 Notes
KoottilekkuActress (Child Artist)MalayalamTelefilm
2022VilanguRevathiZEE5TamilWeb-Series

Awards

Edison Awards
Tamil Nadu State Film Awards
Kerala Film Critics Association Awards

References