Shanaya Kapoor Biography: Age, Family, Movies, Tu Yaa Main & Latest News
Shanaya Kapoor (born 3 November 1999) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. The daughter of actor Sanjay Kapoor and Maheep Kapoor, and a cousin of Sonam, Janhvi and Arjun Kapoor, she worked as an assistant director on Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020) before making her acting debut opposite Vikrant Massey in Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan (2025). In February 2026, she starred in Bejoy Nambiar’s survival thriller Tu Yaa Main, and she is set to lead Karan Johar’s series Student of the Year 3.
Shanaya Kapoor Latest News (2026)
- Student of the Year 3: In September 2026, reports said Karan Johar’s Student of the Year 3, which will be a streaming series rather than a film, has been reworked into a darker youth drama, compared to shows like Class and Euphoria. Shanaya leads the series.
- Tu Yaa Main (13 February 2026): Bejoy Nambiar’s adaptation of the Thai film The Pool released over the Valentine’s weekend. Shanaya plays Avani Shah, a lifestyle influencer trapped with a crocodile in an empty swimming pool at a Goa resort, opposite Adarsh Gourav. It received mixed reviews, earned about ₹8.4 crore and began streaming on Netflix on 10 April 2026.
- Fashion: She continues to walk the ramp for designer labels and appears regularly at fashion weeks.
Shanaya Kapoor Profile, Age and Wiki
| Bio | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Shanaya Kapoor |
| Profession | Actress, former assistant director |
| Known for | Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, Tu Yaa Main |
| Career | |
| Assistant director | Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020) |
| Acting debut | Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan (11 July 2025) |
| Latest film | Tu Yaa Main (13 February 2026) |
| Upcoming | Student of the Year 3 (series) |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of birth | 3 November 1999 |
| Age (as of 2026) | 26 years |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Relationships and Family | |
| Marital status | Unmarried |
| Father | Sanjay Kapoor, actor
|
| Mother | Maheep Kapoor, jewellery designer
|
| Brother | Jahaan Kapoor |
| Uncles | Boney Kapoor (producer); Anil Kapoor (actor) |
| Cousins | Sonam Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Rhea Kapoor, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor
|
Shanaya Kapoor Early Life, Family and Education
Shanaya was born in Mumbai to actor Sanjay Kapoor and Maheep Kapoor. She has a younger brother, Jahaan. Her grandfather was producer Surinder Kapoor, and her uncles are producer Boney Kapoor and actor Anil Kapoor, which makes actors Sonam Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor and Janhvi Kapoor her cousins.
She appeared alongside her mother in the Netflix reality series Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, which gave the public an early look at her family life before her film career began.
Shanaya Kapoor Career
Assistant Director and a Delayed Debut (2020–2024)
Shanaya first worked behind the camera as an assistant director on Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020), the biopic starring her cousin Janhvi Kapoor. In 2022, she was announced as the lead of the Karan Johar-backed film Bedhadak, but the project was shelved. She then auditioned for another film that did not go ahead.
Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan (2025)
Her audition tape from that earlier project reached director Santosh Singh, who cast her in Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, a romantic drama inspired by Ruskin Bond’s short story “The Eyes Have It”. Presented by Zee Studios and Mini Films, the film paired her with Vikrant Massey and released on 11 July 2025. Massey publicly praised her commitment, saying he did not feel any nepotism from her during the shoot.
Tu Yaa Main (2026)
In February 2026, Shanaya starred in Bejoy Nambiar’s Tu Yaa Main, an official adaptation of the 2018 Thai survival thriller The Pool. She plays Avani “Miss Vanity” Shah, a lifestyle influencer from Colaba who falls for Adarsh Gourav’s character, Maruti, despite her family’s objections, before the two end up trapped with a crocodile in an empty pool. Critics were divided: some called it silly but enjoyable, while others were less impressed. The film had a modest theatrical run before finding a wider audience on Netflix.
Student of the Year 3
Shanaya is set to lead Student of the Year 3, Karan Johar’s continuation of the franchise as a streaming series. Reports in 2026 said the series has been reworked into a darker, edgier youth drama.
About Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan
Ruskin Bond’s short story “The Eyes Have It” is a famous tale about two strangers who meet on a train, each hiding something from the other. Director Santosh Singh used it as the inspiration for Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, building a feature-length romantic drama around it. The film was produced by Mansi Bagla and Varun Bagla and presented by Zee Studios and Mini Films. For Shanaya, it was a quieter, performance-led debut rather than a big commercial launch.
The Shelved Debut: Bedhadak
Shanaya was first announced in 2022 as the lead of Bedhadak, a Dharma Productions film, in a high-profile launch. The project was later shelved. She went on to audition for other roles, a process that eventually led to Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan.
Shanaya Kapoor and the Kapoor Family
Shanaya is part of the next generation of the Surinder Kapoor branch of the Kapoor family, one of Bollywood’s best-known film families. Her cousins Sonam, Arjun, Janhvi and Harsh Varrdhan are already actors, and her cousin Khushi made her debut in 2023. Shanaya’s path, starting as an assistant director and weathering a shelved debut, has been noted as a slower route into films than some of her peers.
Shanaya Kapoor Filmography
| Year | Title | Role / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl | Assistant director |
| 2025 | Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan | Acting debut, with Vikrant Massey |
| 2026 | Tu Yaa Main | Avani Shah, with Adarsh Gourav |
| TBA | Student of the Year 3 | Streaming series |
Shanaya Kapoor Personal Life
Shanaya is unmarried and lives in Mumbai with her family. She is close to her cousins, including Janhvi and Khushi Kapoor, and is often seen with them at family gatherings and events.
She is known for her interest in fashion and regularly appears at fashion weeks, including walking the ramp for designer labels.
Why Shanaya Kapoor Stands Out
Shanaya’s entry into films was not straightforward. After her first announced debut was shelved, she earned her role in Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan through an audition tape. She has since chosen very different projects, from a literary romance to a survival thriller, and leading Student of the Year 3 could become her biggest platform yet.
Lesser-Known Facts About Shanaya Kapoor
- She worked as an assistant director on her cousin Janhvi’s film Gunjan Saxena.
- Her first announced film, Bedhadak, was shelved in 2022.
- She got her debut role through an audition tape from a different project.
- Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan was inspired by a Ruskin Bond short story.
- Tu Yaa Main is an adaptation of a Thai survival thriller.
Related Biographies
- Sonam Kapoor Biography – her cousin
- Ibrahim Ali Khan Biography
- Navya Naveli Nanda Biography
- Tara Sutaria Biography
- Nysa Devgan Biography
- More stars: Bollywood biographies
Shanaya Kapoor FAQs
How old is Shanaya Kapoor?
Shanaya Kapoor was born on 3 November 1999, so she is 26 years old (as of 2026).
Who are Shanaya Kapoor’s parents?
Her parents are actor Sanjay Kapoor and Maheep Kapoor.
What was Shanaya Kapoor’s debut film?
Her acting debut was Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan (2025), a romantic drama opposite Vikrant Massey directed by Santosh Singh.
What is Shanaya Kapoor’s latest movie?
Her latest film is the survival thriller Tu Yaa Main (13 February 2026), with Adarsh Gourav, now streaming on Netflix.
Is Shanaya Kapoor related to Janhvi Kapoor?
Yes. They are cousins. Shanaya’s father, Sanjay Kapoor, is the younger brother of Janhvi’s father, Boney Kapoor.
Is Shanaya Kapoor in Student of the Year 3?
Yes. She is set to lead Student of the Year 3, which Karan Johar is developing as a streaming series.
Did Shanaya Kapoor work as an assistant director?
Yes. She was an assistant director on Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020).
What is Tu Yaa Main about?
It is a survival thriller about an influencer and a young man who get trapped with a crocodile in an empty swimming pool at a Goa resort. It is adapted from the Thai film The Pool.
Who is Shanaya Kapoor’s brother?
Her younger brother is Jahaan Kapoor.
Is Shanaya Kapoor married?
No. Shanaya Kapoor is not married.
What is Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan based on?
It is inspired by Ruskin Bond’s short story “The Eyes Have It”.
Who are Shanaya Kapoor’s cousins?
Her cousins include actors Sonam Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor and Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor, and producer Rhea Kapoor.
Who directed Tu Yaa Main?
Tu Yaa Main (2026) was directed by Bejoy Nambiar and stars Shanaya Kapoor and Adarsh Gourav.