Meet Riya Shibu Aka ‘Delulu’ From Sarvam Maya
After the huge success of Sarvam Maya, one name that is trending almost as much as Nivin Pauly’s comeback is Riya Shibu, fondly remembered by audiences as Delulu, the bubbly, modern ghost from the film.
Sarvam Maya, directed by Akhil Sathyan, has turned into a major Christmas winner worldwide within just five days of its release.
While the film marks a strong comeback for Nivin Pauly, it has also introduced many viewers to Riya Shibu’s acting talent, making her performance one of the film’s biggest talking points.
Though Sarvam Maya is only her second acting venture, cinema is far from new to Riya.
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At just 21 years old, she is already an established producer. Riya is the daughter of renowned producer and distributor Shibu Thameens, the man behind Thameens Films, a banner that has backed popular films like ABCD: American-Born Confused Desi (2013), Puli (2015), and Iru Mugan (2016).
Growing up around film sets and production offices, Riya’s connection to cinema began early.
Before stepping into films, Riya Shibu first became popular in the digital space. She gained a massive following through short videos on platforms like TikTok, Dubsmash, and Musical.ly, where her energy, expressions, and confidence stood out.
This online popularity helped her build a strong fan base even before her film career took shape.
Riya made her mark as a producer with the Tamil action drama Thugs (2023), produced under her banner HR Pictures. The film starred her brother Hridhu Haroon, who later gained global recognition with All We Imagine as Light (2024), along with actor Anaswara Rajan.
The same year, Riya co-produced Mumbaikar (2023), starring Vikrant Massey and Vijay Sethupathi, a remake of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Maanagaram.
Her biggest production so far came in 2025 with Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2, directed by SU Arun Kumar and starring Chiyaan Vikram, SJ Suryah, Suraj Venjaramoodu, and Dushara Vijayan.
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The film opened to positive reviews and went on to become a box-office success, grossing over Rs 63 crore worldwide. During promotions, Vikram himself praised Riya’s professionalism and energy, calling her a producer with a very bright future.
As an actor, Riya made her debut in the 2024 Malayalam film Cup, opposite Mathew Thomas. The film failed to make an impact, and her performance largely went unnoticed.
However, Sarvam Maya has changed everything. Her portrayal of Delulu, a Gen Z ghost who is playful, emotionally aware, and surprisingly grounded.
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Many viewers felt she brought warmth and freshness to a role that could have easily gone wrong.
Social media reactions suggest that audiences genuinely connected with Delulu, praising Riya’s natural acting, body language, and modern sensibility. For many, she became the emotional anchor of the film alongside Nivin Pauly.
Riya Shibu is reportedly an alumna of Trivandrum International School and Loyola College, Chennai, where she studied Visual Communication.
Alongside acting and producing, she continues to remain a strong presence on Instagram, where she enjoys a following of nearly 7 lakh followers.
