Anjali Sivaraman was just 21 when she landed her breakout modeling gig, starring alongside Ranveer Singh in the viral VIVO advertisement. In the ad, she played a mysterious girl determined to get a selfie with the actor — a playful role that quickly made her a familiar face. Now, Anjali is carving a space for herself in the film industry, most recently as the lead in ‘Bad Girl,’ a Tamil film produced by acclaimed filmmaker Vetrimaaran.
Anjali credits that early ad with opening the right doors: “That campaign really put me on the map. After that, casting directors started noticing me, and my modeling career took off.” But acting was always the dream. She made her screen debut in the web series ‘PM Selfiewallie,’ followed by a role in Netflix’s ‘Cobalt Blue.’ However, it was her performance in the teen drama ‘Class’ that proved to be a turning point. “I think it was after Class that people started seeing me as an actor and not just a model,” she said. It was also the show that caught the attention of ‘Bad Girl’ director Varsha Bharath.
“I got a call to audition in Chennai. In real life, I’m not a very glamorous person, and Varsha wanted someone just like that. After a few makeup and costume trials, I read the script — and I immediately connected with the character, Ramya. She felt like me,” Anjali shared. Born in Kerala and raised across various parts of the country, Anjali grew up in a family steeped in creativity and discipline. Her father, Vinod Sivaraman, was a pilot in the Indian Air Force, and her mother is renowned playback singer Chitra Iyer. Though she spent most of her formative years in Bengaluru, Anjali later moved to Mumbai to chase her artistic aspirations.
Anjali with her mother and singer Chitra Iyer and sister Adithi. Photo: Instagram/ chitraiyerofficial
Like many newcomers, her journey wasn’t straightforward. She initially worked behind the scenes — first as an assistant director in an agency, then as a music producer’s assistant. She even joined a band as a singer. It was during this time that a college friend, who was assisting director Dibakar Banerjee, informed her about the VIVO ad opportunity.
“It was all very bizarre,” she recalled. “I was naive and didn’t realize how big it would be. But things just started happening. In 2019, I landed my first Sabyasachi campaign. I even sang for a Tinder ad, which also went viral.” She also appeared in a modeling shoot alongside the late Sushant Singh Rajput. “That was actually the first time my face was clearly seen on screen,” she said.
Despite her success in modeling, Anjali faced skepticism when she pivoted to acting. “I was told I didn’t have the conventional looks for an actor. The argument was that I wasn’t foreign enough or Indian enough — I didn’t fit into any box,” she said. Today, she’s breaking those very molds — and looking toward home. Anjali says she’s open to acting in Malayalam cinema, where her mother made her mark. “There’s one project in the pipeline, but I can’t share details just yet. Still, yes — I’d love to be a part of Mollywood,” she said.
Anjali Sivaraman. Photo: sausinbis
She signed on to ‘Bad Girl’ primarily because of Vetrimaaran’s involvement. “Creatively, I was hyped to be part of something he produced — his storytelling is so grounded and powerful,” she said. “And I was really intrigued by the fact that it was a woman filmmaker directing. I wanted to see how she would tell a story from a female perspective. Varsha and I had so many conversations — we even watched Lady Bird together to understand the emotional tempo we wanted. We even made a playlist! We were on the same page from day one.” In addition, Anjali sang a lullaby Home in the movie composed by Amit Trivedi. “This is the first time that I got to sing in a film I acted in and that too in Tamil. I am overjoyed I could sing for a song composed by Amit Trivedi. My mother too is super proud,” she said.
As for the film’s provocative title, Anjali explained: “Bad Girl is meant to be ironic. Even when women follow every rule in the book — balancing home, work, and expectations — they’re still often labeled ‘bad’ if they don’t conform. The title questions that judgment.”