JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Who is Riya Shibu? Meet 21-year-old producer turned actress winning hearts over her ‘delulu’ role in Nivin Pauly’s Sarvam Maya
Sarvam Maya, starring Nivin Pauly, is a fantasy horror romantic comedy film, directed by Akhil Sathyan, which had Riya Shibu as an adorable ghost.
Sarvam Maya, starring Nivin Pauly, was released in theatres on December 25, 2025, coinciding with Christmas. As the film opened to positive reviews, co-lead actress Riya Shibu became the talk of the town, especially for her lovable moments in the movie.
Let’s take a look at the producer-turned-content creator-turned-actress and her journey in cinema so far.
Who is Riya Shibu?
Riya Shibu is the daughter of acclaimed film producer Shibu Thameens. He owns Thameens Films, a production company based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, along with theatres and a distribution company that primarily exhibits Malayalam and Tamil films.
Her father has been involved in several ventures in South Indian cinema, including Dulquer Salmaan’s ABCD: American-Born Confused Desi, Chiyaan Vikram’s Iru Mugan and Saamy Square, Thalapathy Vijay’s Puli, and more. Thameens also owns film theaters and has even distributed major blockbusters such as RRR and Kamal Haasan’s Vikram.
Earlier, Riya made her debut as a producer by associating with her father’s company and backing the Vikram-starrer Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2.
As per reports, Riya was born on September 22, 2004, making her 21 years old in 2025. Interestingly, her elder brother, Hridhu Haroon, is also an actor known for films such as All We Imagine as Light, Maine Pyar Kiya, Bad Girl, and Pradeep Ranganathan–Mamitha Baiju’s Dude.
Before Sarvam Maya, Riya made her acting debut in Malayalam cinema with the sports drama Cup. The 2024 film, directed by Sanju V. Samuel, starred Mathew Thomas and Basil Joseph in the lead roles.
Apart from films, Riya is especially popular among Gen Z audiences due to her massive social media following. Before stepping into production, she went viral on Instagram for her transition videos and humorous content.
Now, with Sarvam Maya, the actress has truly become the talk of the town and will next be playing co-lead in Tovino Thomas, Vineeth Sreenivasan, and Basil Joseph starrer Athiradi.
More about Sarvam Maya
Sarvam Maya is a fantasy horror romantic comedy starring Nivin Pauly and directed by Akhil Sathyan. The film follows the story of Prabhendhu Namboothiri, a young priest living in his ancestral home. His life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters a lovable and “delulu” ghost, leading to a shift in his understanding of life through a series of humorous events.
Latest Articles
