Eastenders

EastEnders Avani star Aaliyah James’ life off-screen including actress’ real age

Published

2 months ago

March 24, 2025

MaiilOnline

EastEnders character Avani Nandra-Hart, introduced as the secret daughter of Ravi Gulati, is about to be caught up in a major new storyline in upcoming episodes of the BBC soap.

EastEnders’ Aaliyah James made her debut as Avani Nandra-Hart in 2023 and is set to play a central role in a thrilling new storyline this week.

The newcomer, who portrays Ravi Gulati’s (Aaron Thiara) secret daughter, is about to find herself in serious trouble with the law in the upcoming episodes.

Avani’s day takes a dramatic turn when she skips school with Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) and Lily Slater (Lillia Turner), only to cross paths with the shady Marvin, who’s carrying drugs.

When the police arrive, they find Marvin’s dropped stash of pills and take the girls to the station for questioning.

Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) rush to the station to pick up their children, but there’s no one available to answer Avani’s phone, reports Plymouth Live.

Things take a dark turn as the police demand a strip search to see if Avani is concealing any additional drugs.

Her family becomes frantic upon seeing Avani fall apart, and instead of returning to her father Ravi’s (Aaron Thiara) place, she runs off to the playground to take a drink of vodka.

Chaos erupts when Avani’s parents realize she’s gone missing, and they’re shocked to discover her unconscious in the playground.

Off-screen, actress Aaliyah, who is actually 24, has had some fun with the age gap between herself and her character. She joked on Instagram: “Guys… I’m now 15… I mean 24 years old.”

Aaliyah, landing her first significant acting role, has joined the esteemed cast of EastEnders. Prior to this breakthrough, she had a small role as a train passenger in the 2022 BBC One crime drama Inside Man, which featured notable stars such as David Tennant, Dolly Wells, and Stanley Tucci.

Aaliyah shared her appreciation for the role, stating, “Being given this chance as my official screen debut is truly a blessing.”

She also expressed how welcomed she felt, saying, “The support from the cast and crew has made me feel at home, and I’m so grateful to already be a part of the EastEnders family.”

Excited to embrace her new role, she added, “I’m eager to bring Avani to life and explore her journey in Walford, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for me.”