Alaya F is one of the most promising young actors in Hindi cinema. She made a confident, witty, and emotionally grounded debut with Jawaani Jaaneman (2020) and quickly followed it with risk-taking roles in the thriller Freddy (2022) and the supernatural remake U-Turn (2023)
As of October 21, 2025, Alaya F is 27 years old. Beyond films, she’s cultivated a strong public persona grounded, fun, and fashion-forward appearing in style campaigns, short dance clips, and interviews that showcase her love for movement and performance.
Recent coverage has even sparked fan calls for a full-blown dance film headlined by her.
If you’re discovering Alaya for the first time, this guide gives you an easy, thorough read on her life, education, films, awards, and what makes her stand out.
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Table of Contents
Alaya F’s Biography
Early Life and Family
Alaya F was born Aalia Furniturewala on November 28, 1997, in Los Angeles to Indian parents.
Her mother, Pooja Bedi, is a well-known actor and TV host, and her father, Farhan Ebrahim Furniturewala, is a businessman. Alaya belongs to the influential Bedi family of Indian arts and cinema.
Her maternal grandfather, Kabir Bedi, is a respected film and television actor with international credits, and her maternal grandmother, Protima Bedi, was a celebrated classical dancer and an iconic figure in Indian arts.
Growing up with this lineage meant early exposure to the performing arts and a natural curiosity about storytelling and expression.1
Alaya did her schooling at Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai. Even in her teenage years, she appeared on reality TV sharing screen space with her mother on Maa Exchange (2011) an early, if brief, glimpse of life in front of the camera. Yet it was training, not quick fame, that shaped her next steps.
🖤🩶🤍 pic.twitter.com/QVNjVBiOBi
— Alaya F (@AlayaF___) February 7, 2024
Quick Stats
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Alaya F (born Aalia Furniturewala) |
| Profession | Actor, Dancer |
| Date of Birth | November 28, 1997 |
| Age (as of Oct 21, 2025) | 27 years |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, USA |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Parents | Pooja Bedi (actor/TV host), Farhan Ebrahim Furniturewala (businessman) |
| Grandparents | Kabir Bedi (actor), Protima Bedi (classical dancer) |
| Education & Training | New York Film Academy (acting diploma); Jeff Goldberg Studio (Mumbai) |
| Debut Film | Jawaani Jaaneman (2020) |
| Notable Films | Jawaani Jaaneman (2020), Freddy (2022), U-Turn (2023), Srikanth (2024) |
| Major Award | Filmfare Award — Best Female Debut (2021) for Jawaani Jaaneman |
| Known For | Youthful screen presence, comic timing, thriller turns, dance background |
| Active Years | 2020–present |
Education and Acting Training
To build a foundation beyond family connections, Alaya pursued formal training in the craft.
She earned a diploma in acting from the New York Film Academy (NYFA), a school known for its hands-on curriculum and focus on practical performance skills.
After returning to Mumbai, she sharpened her skills at the Jeff Goldberg Studio, a respected acting studio in Bandra that emphasizes scene work, performance discipline, and professional readiness for stage and screen.
This combination of international and local training is reflected in her naturalistic delivery, command over dialogue, and a confident on-camera presence. 2
Alaya has also kept up with dance training, which shows in her musical sequences and social media performances.
Fans have consistently responded to her poised movement and musicality, and recent coverage noted strong demand for her to lead a dance-centric film an interesting path that could align with her talents. 3
Debut and Breakthrough: Jawaani Jaaneman (2020)
Alaya’s first feature, Jawaani Jaaneman, released in 2020 and co-starred Saif Ali Khan and Tabu.
Playing a sharp, independent young woman who turns up in her father’s bachelor-pad life, she brought warmth, spunk, and a grounded emotion to a role that could easily have slipped into caricature.
The film gave her ample room to display comic timing, and she used it well earning strong reviews and industry attention.
The performance earned Alaya the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut at the 66th Filmfare Awards (2021) a prized recognition in mainstream Hindi cinema and often a springboard for promising careers.
Media outlets widely reported her win, with images and celebrations trending across entertainment pages and social media.
Building Range: Freddy (2022)
After a bubbly first outing, Alaya shifted gears with Freddy, a 2022 psychological thriller featuring Kartik Aaryan in the title role.
The film gave her a chance to play against type moving away from youthful, breezy parts toward a more enigmatic, layered character.
While the film itself sparked varied responses, Alaya’s willingness to experiment was noted positively. It signaled an actor ready to explore different tonalities early in her career, instead of repeating one version of herself on screen.4
Leading a Supernatural Remake: U-Turn (2023)
In 2023, Alaya headlined U-Turn, a Hindi remake of the acclaimed 2016 Kannada film of the same name.
Streaming on ZEE5, the Arif Khan directed film placed her at the center of a supernatural mystery involving traffic violations and unexplained deaths.
Leading a thriller requires a different energy from ensemble comedies: the protagonist must hold attention, convey fear and suspicion, and drive the narrative.
Alaya took on that anchor role and navigated the plot’s twists, which helped her broaden her portfolio into more suspense-driven storytelling.
2024 and Beyond: Srikanth and Continuing Visibility
In 2024, Alaya appeared in the biopic Srikanth, starring Rajkummar Rao as visually impaired industrialist Srikanth Bolla, with Jyothika in a key role.
Alaya’s presence added a youthful dynamic to the cast and expanded her experience with biographical material—another angle to her growing filmography.5
Alongside films, Alaya has remained active in fashion and lifestyle spaces, featuring in campaigns and brand collaborations. This visibility keeps her in public conversation between releases and plays well with her stylish, contemporary image.
She has also been noted in popularity and style lists, underlining her resonance with younger audiences and fashion watchers.
Acting Strengths and On-Screen Signature
1) Natural comic timing:
Her debut showcased quick wit and reactive humor qualities that are hard to teach and valuable in mainstream Hindi cinema. Timing, listening, and a grounded presence make her easy to watch in banter-heavy scenes.
2) Poise under pressure (thrillers):
In both Freddy and U-Turn, Alaya shifted into darker palettes without losing relatability. She can play ordinary-person-in-extraordinary-events with clarity, a useful ability as streaming platforms continue to favor suspense formats.
3) Dance and physicality:
Clean movement and good rhythm enhance her screen presence. This strength can be harnessed for musicals, dance-led narratives, and performance-heavy songs in commercial entertainers.
4) Training-backed craft:
A formal acting diploma and studio training mean she approaches roles with process character prep, scene mechanics, and emotional arcs rather than relying solely on instinct or lineage.
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Awards and Recognition
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Filmfare Award — Best Female Debut (2021) for Jawaani Jaaneman. This is one of the marquee awards for newcomers and has historically been a career catalyst. Coverage from mainstream outlets and Filmfare’s own channels documented her win.
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Style and popularity mentions including placements in lists such as Times Most Desirable Women (2020) and Eastern Eye’s “Top 30 under 30 Asians” (2023) reflect her wider cultural footprint beyond film credits.
Filmography
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Jawaani Jaaneman (2020) — Debut feature; urbane comedy-drama opposite Saif Ali Khan and Tabu; earned her Filmfare Best Female Debut.
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Freddy (2022) — Psychological thriller; demonstrated her appetite for edgier material early in her career.
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U-Turn (2023) — Hindi remake of the Kannada hit; Alaya headlined the supernatural mystery on ZEE5.
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Srikanth (2024) — Biopic starring Rajkummar Rao; Alaya appears in a supporting role, expanding her range into real-life narratives.
Influence, Mentors and Training Ecosystem
While celebrity lineage can open doors, maintaining momentum in Mumbai’s competitive landscape takes work.
Alaya’s training at NYFA provided an international perspective on camera technique, improvisation, and scene study.
The Jeff Goldberg Studio in Mumbai complements that with local industry alignment, audition prep, and consistent practice. This mix of ecosystems global and Indian helps explain her adaptability across genres.
Brand Work and Media Presence
Alaya has been associated with prominent beauty and fashion platforms and has featured in digital campaigns and style events.
These align with her youthful, modern image and give her visibility beyond big-screen release cycles. Some campaigns and list-placements (e.g., Nykaa, Times Most Desirable Women 2020) underline her status as a youth-driven style figure.
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FAQ’s
1) What is Alaya F’s real name?
Her birth name is Aalia Furniturewala. She uses Alaya F professionally.
2) How old is Alaya F?
She was born on November 28, 1997. As of October 21, 2025, she is 27 years old.
3) Who are Alaya F’s parents and grandparents?
Her mother is actor-host Pooja Bedi, and her father is businessman Farhan Ebrahim Furniturewala. Her grandparents are actor Kabir Bedi and classical dancer Protima Bedi.
4) Where did Alaya study acting?
She earned an acting diploma from the New York Film Academy and trained further at the Jeff Goldberg Studio in Mumbai.
5) Which was Alaya F’s debut film?
Jawaani Jaaneman (2020) was her debut feature, co-starring Saif Ali Khan and Tabu.
6) Has Alaya F won any major awards?
Yes. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut (2021) for her performance in Jawaani Jaaneman.
7) What are Alaya’s notable films after her debut?
She has starred in Freddy (2022), U-Turn (2023), and appeared in Srikanth (2024).
8) Is Alaya F trained in dance?
She maintains active dance training and often shares performances online. Recent coverage of a performance to “Mitwa” drew strong praise and fan requests for a dance-genre film.
9) Does Alaya work in fashion and brand spaces too?
Yes. She has featured in beauty and style campaigns and appeared in desirability/style lists, reinforcing her image as a modern, fashion-forward artist.
10) What could be next for Alaya?
More varied leading roles across genres, possibly a dance-centric film, and character-driven streaming projects would fit her skill set and public image.
Closing Note
Alaya F represents the best of the new wave in Bollywood: trained, thoughtful, and unafraid to switch genres.
She began with a breezy, crowd-pleasing debut, pivoted to edgier thrillers, and kept one foot in grounded, real-life stories.
Add to this her dance fluency and a polished public presence, and you have an actor with both craft and currency.
If she continues to choose parts that stretch her and aligns with directors who can harness her timing and poise, the next few years could establish her as a mainstay equally at home in multiplex dramas, streaming thrillers, and big-screen entertainers.
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