Alaya Furniturewala – Bollywood actress who marked her screen debut with ‘Jawaani Jaaneman’ in 2020

Alaya Furniturewala is a budding actress of Bollywood cinema, who marked her screen debut with ‘Jawaani Jaaneman’ in 2020. She played the lead role of Tia Singh, daughter of Saif Ali Khan and Tabu in this comedy drama film, which received positive reviews from critics. Her full-fledged role as a daughter in search of her biological father also impressed critics and audience alike. She belongs to a filmy family of Mumbai. Her mother Pooja Bedi and her maternal grandfather Kabir Bedi are Bollywood actors, while her maternal grandmother Protima Bedi is a model turned Odissi dancer.

Alaya Furniturewala was born in Mumbai in 1997. Her parents – model-actress-TV presenter Pooja Bedi and businessman father Farhan Ebrahim got separated when she was just 6 years old. She grew up with her father and younger brother Omar Ebrahim. She also has a half-brother Zaan Furniturewala born in 2015 with whom she has a good relationship. She schooled from Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai and took diploma in acting at New York Film Academy to pursue a career in acting. She is a trained contemporary and Kathak dancer.

She came to spotlight for the first time after she appeared in a reality TV show called Maa Exchange aside her mother aired on Sony entertainment. She signed a three-film deal with producer Jay Shewakramani and first movie to release was ‘Jawaani Jaaneman’ in 2020. After an impressive debut she is to stay here in Bollywood for a long time.

Alaya Furniturewala – Some interesting and less-known facts

Alaya Furniturewala with her mother

1. Her full name is Alaia Ebrahim Furniturewalla.

2. Her great-grandmother Freda Bedi was the first Western woman to take ordination in Tibetan Buddhism.

3. Her maternal grandfather Kabir Bedi has worked in several international projects, apart from Bollywood films. He mostly played villain roles in Indian films.

4. Her grandfather Kabir Bedi married 4 times. Her grandmother was the first wife of Bedi, followed by Susan Humphreys, British television and radio presenter Nikki Bedi and Parveen Dosanjh.

5. She frequently posts hot and bold photos in different social media handles, and has been in limelight long before her screen debut.

6. After divorcing her mother, her father married Bollywood actor Fardeen Khan’s sister (Feroz Khan’s daughter) Laila Khan in April 2010 and had one son in 2015, Zaan Furniturewaala.

7. She received Balakratna National Art Award for excellence in art in 2013.