Shruti Sawant, known professionally by her stage name Iniya or Ineya, is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Malayalam and Tamil films. Born on January 21, 1988, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, she gained recognition after winning the Miss Trivandrum title in 2005. She has won multiple awards including the Edison Award for Best Debut Actress, Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress, and Kerala Film Awards for Best Supporting Actress.
Iniya Actress Early Life and Background
Iniya was born Shruti Sawant on January 21, 1988, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Her father’s name is S. Salahuddin. She has an elder sister named Swathy.
She won the Miss Trivandrum beauty pageant title in 2005, which opened doors to the entertainment industry. Following her pageant win, she began modeling and appeared in several television advertisements.
Iniya Actress Age
Iniya is 38 years old as of February 2026. She was born on January 21, 1988.
Career Beginnings
Iniya made her acting debut in 2006 with the Malayalam art film Saira, directed by Dr. Biju. She appeared in several Malayalam award-winning art films in her early career, including Dalamarmarangal (2009) and Umma (2011), both directed by Vijayakrishnan.
She also played a pivotal role in Rajesh Touchriver’s short feature The Sacred Face, which focuses on child abuse. Her early work established her presence in Malayalam cinema’s parallel film movement.
Breakthrough and Name Change
In 2010, Iniya starred in the Tamil film Padagasalai and signed several other Tamil projects, though many were cancelled or remain unreleased. She played a supporting role as the sister to Cheran’s character in Mysskin’s mystery thriller Yuddham Sei (2011).
Director A. Sarkunam cast her as the female lead in his period piece Vaagai Sooda Vaa (2011). For this film, she adopted the stage name “Iniya” instead of her previous screen name. The performance became a turning point in her career.
Awards and Recognition
Tamil Nadu State Film Award
Iniya won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Vaagai Sooda Vaa (2011). She also received the Edison Award for Best Debut Actress for the same film.
Kerala Film Awards
She won the Kerala Film Award for Best Supporting Actress twice, for her roles in Parole (2018) and Pengalila (2019). Her performances in these Malayalam films earned critical acclaim.
She also received the Kerala Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress for both Parole and Pengalila.
Notable Films
Malayalam Cinema
Iniya appeared in several notable Malayalam films including Bhoopadathil Illatha Oridam (2012), Omega.exe (2013), Radio (2013), Ayaal (2013), and Mamangam (2019). In Mamangam, she shared screen space with Mammootty, and her performance was well appreciated.
Tamil Cinema
Her Tamil filmography includes Yuddham Sei (2011), Vaagai Sooda Vaa (2011), Mouna Guru (2011), Ammavin Kaipesi (2012), Chennaiyil Oru Naal (2013), Maasani (2013), and Pottu (2019). She played the title role in Pottu, a horror-comedy released in 2019.
Recent Work
Iniya appeared in the 2024 film DNA. She continues to work in both Malayalam and Tamil film industries.
Physical Appearance
Iniya is 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters) tall.
Marriage and Relationship Status
Information about Iniya’s marriage or current relationship status is not publicly disclosed. She has maintained privacy regarding her personal romantic life.
Family
Iniya’s father is S. Salahuddin. She has an elder sister named Swathy. In 2014, a burglary incident at Iniya’s residence in Thiruvananthapuram resulted in the arrest of Shabin, who was engaged to her sister Swathy at the time. The ring exchange ceremony had taken place in May 2014, but the case affected the family.
Iniya stated at the time that the family had not called off the wedding and were waiting for the investigation to conclude. She expressed her desire to give her sister time to relax before discussing the matter further.
Alternative Names
Iniya has also been credited under the alternative name “Nirmisha” in some productions. Her real name is Shruti Sawant, which she does not use professionally.
Stage Name Origin
She changed her screen name to “Iniya” specifically for the Tamil film Vaagai Sooda Vaa in 2011. Prior to this, she had worked under different names in Malayalam cinema. The name change coincided with her breakthrough role in Tamil cinema.