Who Is Riya Shibu? The Actress Everyone’s Talking About In Mollywood

Born in 2004, Riya Shibu stepped into the entertainment industry at a young age, growing up in a family deeply rooted in cinema. She is the daughter of renowned producer and distributor Shibu Thameens, a prominent name in the Malayalam and Tamil film industry. Riya also shares her cinematic journey with her brother, Hridhu Haroon, who has made a mark as an actor across Malayalam, Hindi, and Tamil films, further highlighting the family’s strong presence in Indian cinema.

Riya Shibu is a promising actress and producer who has steadily made her mark behind the scenes with a diverse slate of projects. She stepped into production with the Tamil action-drama Thugs in 2023. In the same year, she also produced Mumbaikar, starring Vikrant Massey and Vijay Sethupathi. Expanding her portfolio further, Riya backed the thriller Mura in 2024. In 2025, she produced Veera Dheera Sooran: Part – 2, featuring Vikram, SJ Suryah, Suraj Venjaramoodu, and Dushara Vijayan in pivotal roles, reinforcing her growing presence as a producer in Indian cinema.r

Riya made her foray into acting with the 2024 Malayalam sports drama Cup, starring opposite Mathew Thomas. Helmed by Sanju V. Samuel and written by Akhilesh Latharaj and Denson Durom, the film is produced by Allwin Antony and Angelena Mary under Ananya Films, with Alphonse Puthran lending his support. The project stands out as a noteworthy beginning to Riya’s acting journey.

As Delulu in Sarvam Maya, Riya Shibu delivered a memorable performance that added depth to the film’s narrative. Her portrayal stood out for its emotional nuance and natural screen presence, further strengthening her growing reputation as a promising actress in Malayalam cinema. Riya’s on-screen chemistry with Nivin Pauly, in particular, won over audiences and became one of the film’s most talked-about highlights.

Before stepping into the limelight of Malayalam cinema, Riya Shibu had already made waves online with her fun and relatable short videos on social media platforms like Dubsmash and TikTok. During the lockdown, her popularity grew even further as her reels went viral. Her character ‘Delulu’ in Sarvam Maya has now become a current sensation in Mollywood, earning widespread praise and adoration from fans.

If reports are true, Riya Shibu will next be seen in the Malayalam film Athiradi. The movie features Basil Joseph, Tovino Thomas, and Vineeth Sreenivasan in lead roles. Directed by Arun Anirudhan in his debut, the film marks the first production venture of Basil Joseph Entertainment and Dr Ananthu Entertainment, with Tovino Thomas and cinematographer-filmmaker Sameer Thahir serving as co-producers. The technical team includes Vishnu Vijay as music director, Samuel Henry as cinematographer, and Chaman Chakko as editor.