Sanaya Irani is an Indian television actress and model best known for her work in Hindi television serials produced for Star Plus. She rose to prominence with the role of Gunjan in Miley Jab Hum Tum and went on to play the lead character Khushi Kumari Gupta in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, which became one of the most popular Indian television romances of the early 2010s.
Key facts
| Full name | Sanaya Irani |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 September 1983 |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Community | Parsi |
| Occupation | Actress, model |
| Years active | 2006 – present |
| Spouse | Mohit Sehgal (m. 2016) |
| Notable works | Miley Jab Hum Tum, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?, Rangrasiya |
Background
Sanaya Irani was born into a Parsi family and brought up in Mumbai. She studied at Jai Hind College in Mumbai before moving towards a career in modelling and acting. Early in her career she appeared in television commercials and worked as a model.
Career
Film debut
Irani made her film debut with a supporting role in the Yash Raj Films production Fanaa (2006), directed by Kunal Kohli, in which she played the friend of the female lead.
Television
Her first significant television role came with Miley Jab Hum Tum (2008–2010) on Star One, where she portrayed Gunjan Bhushan opposite Mohit Sehgal. The youth-oriented serial established her as a familiar face on Hindi television.
She subsequently played Khushi Kumari Gupta in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? (2011–2012), produced by 4 Lions Films and aired on Star Plus, opposite Barun Sobti. The show, which centred on the relationship between Khushi and Arnav Singh Raizada, was a major ratings success and gained a substantial following both in India and abroad.
In 2014 she featured as Paaro in the Colors TV serial Rangrasiya, opposite Ashish Sharma. She also participated in the dance reality show Nach Baliye 7 (2015) on Star Plus along with Mohit Sehgal, in which the couple finished as runners-up. She later appeared in the web series Ghulaam on Life OK and made guest appearances and short television roles thereafter.
Personal life
Irani married fellow actor Mohit Sehgal, her co-star from Miley Jab Hum Tum, on 25 January 2016 in Goa.
Significance
Irani is regarded as one of the leading actresses of Hindi general entertainment television in the early 2010s. Her portrayal of Khushi in Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? contributed to the show's popularity in international markets, particularly among South Asian diaspora audiences, and helped consolidate the romantic-drama format that dominated prime-time Hindi television during the period.