Who is Sunaina Yella?
Sunaina Yella, popularly known as Sunainaa, is an Indian actress and model who works mainly in Tamil and Telugu cinema, with notable projects in Malayalam and Kannada as well. Born on 17 April 1989 in Nagpur, she has built a steady career with films like Kadhalil Vizhunthen, Neerparavai, Raja Raja Chora and the 2024 web series Inspector Rishi.
In late 2025, Sunaina Yella is trending online after UAE based influencer and content creator Khalid Al Ameri publicly confirmed their relationship, with multiple outlets describing them as engaged, turning their cross cultural love story into a major talking point.
Key Information
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Sunainaa Harish Yella |
| Nickname | Monu (commonly mentioned in fan bios) |
| Profession | Actress, Model |
| Known For | Tamil and Telugu films like Kadhalil Vizhunthen, Neerparavai, Raja Raja Chora and web series Inspector Rishi |
| Age | 36 years (as of 2025) |
| Date of Birth | 17 April 1989 |
| Zodiac Sign | Aries |
| Years Active | Around 2005 to present |
| Hometown | Nagpur, Maharashtra, India |
| Current Residence | Hyderabad, Telangana (often shuttling for work) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor of Commerce, after schooling at Mount Carmel Girls High School, Nagpur (reported in multiple biographies) |
| Hobbies | Reading, travel, fashion, social media content creation (as described in interviews and features) |
| Marital Status | Engaged (widely reported from 2024 onward) |
| Husband | Khalid Al Ameri (fiance, Emirati influencer and YouTuber) |
Early Life and Education
Sunaina Yella was born into a Telugu family in Nagpur, Maharashtra. She has spoken in interviews about growing up in a middle class, closely knit household where creativity was encouraged but academics were equally important.
She attended Mount Carmel Girls High School in Nagpur, a detail repeated in several South Indian film biographies. During school, she took part in cultural events and developed an interest in performance, though she initially stayed quite shy in public spaces.
After school, she enrolled in a private college to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Balancing exams with auditions was not easy, so she often described that phase as one of constant juggling between lectures and screen tests.
As acting opportunities grew in South Indian cinema, she eventually moved away from Nagpur. She first spent significant time in Hyderabad with her family and then shifted workwise to Chennai to be closer to the Tamil and Telugu film industries, before later making Hyderabad her primary base again.
Physical Appearance
Various public sources describe Sunaina Yella as tall and elegant, and she often jokes on social media about her height.
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Height: 5 ft 8 in to 5 ft 9 in (about 173 to 175 cm)
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Weight: generally listed in the range of about 51 to 58 kg
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Eye Colour: Dark brown
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Hair Colour: Black
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Tattoos: No visible tattoos in public photos or shoots; most profiles describe her look as classic and minimal.
Her on screen style ranges from simple cotton saris and village girl looks to high fashion statement pieces on magazine shoots and red carpets.
Career Journey
Early Breaks and Debut
Sunaina’s first screen appearance was in the Telugu film Kumar Vs Kumari (2005), followed by 10th Class (2006), which helped her get noticed in Telugu cinema. She also appeared in the Malayalam film Best Friends (2006) and later in the Kannada film Gange Baare Thunge Baare (2008), building a multi language portfolio early in her career.
Her major Tamil breakthrough came with Kadhalil Vizhunthen (2008), a romantic drama opposite Nakul. The film’s songs and youthful story found a strong audience, and Sunaina’s performance made her a familiar face to Tamil moviegoers.
Growth in Tamil and Telugu Cinema
Over the next decade, Sunaina balanced roles across different industries. Some of her notable projects include:
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Vamsam (2010) – where she played a village girl and earned praise for her natural performance.
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Neerparavai (2012) – a critically appreciated film that won her a Filmfare nomination and established her as more than just a commercial heroine.
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Samar (2013) – an action thriller with Vishal that reinforced her versatility.
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Supporting appearances in big banner films such as Theri and other ensemble projects added to her mainstream visibility.
After a phase where she explored multiple regional industries, Raja Raja Chora (2021) was widely seen as a comeback to Telugu cinema, with her performance receiving appreciation for its warmth and comic timing.
OTT Era and Inspector Rishi
With the rise of streaming platforms, Sunaina moved into web series and digital projects:
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Nila Nila Odi Vaa (2018) – a romantic thriller series where she played a lead role and built a loyal OTT audience.
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High Priestess, Fingertip, Chadarangam, Meet Cute – various Tamil and Telugu series where she experimented with modern, layered characters.
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Inspector Rishi (2024, Amazon Prime Video) – a horror crime series that gave her a fresh, darker role and introduced her to many new viewers across India and abroad.
Upcoming Projects
As of late 2025, Sunaina Yella continues to work across film and digital formats. Her filmography lists Kuberaa (Telugu, role: Shilpa) among her recent or upcoming projects, alongside other regional films that are in different stages of production.
Media reports and entertainment portals also suggest that she is in talks for more Tamil and Telugu projects expected to release in 2026, especially on streaming platforms, although formal announcements are still unfolding.
Relationships
Sunaina Yella usually keeps her personal life private, but since 2024 her relationship has become a major media topic.
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Fiance: Multiple outlets and features now describe her as engaged to Emirati influencer and content creator Khalid Al Ameri.
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Public Confirmation: Khalid quietly confirmed the romance in 2025 by including a mirror selfie with Sunaina in his birthday post, and by sharing hand holding photos on his Instagram Stories with captions like “Thank you for the beautiful birthday.
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Engagement Timeline: Engagement rumours started in mid 2024 when both posted ring photos and matching hand holding shots. Articles from that period and later in 2025 refer to Sunaina as Khalid’s fiancée, even as the couple keeps detailed wedding plans private.
Past relationships are not documented in reliable public sources, and Sunaina has largely steered clear of gossip by focusing interviews on her work instead of her dating history.
Lifestyle wise, she seems to enjoy a mix of quiet reading, travel, and foodie explorations, often sharing simple tea, coffee and saree mood posts with her followers rather than flashy luxury displays.
Family Background
| Relation | Name |
|---|---|
| Father | Harish Yella |
| Mother | Sandhya Yella |
| Brother(s) | Vinjayent Yella (photographer, as per one profile) |
| Sister(s) | Sapna Yella (details kept private) |
| Husband | Khalid Al Ameri (fiancé, engagement widely reported) |
Viral Moments
Sunaina Yella has largely stayed away from major controversies. Most of the viral discussion around her has been positive or rooted in curiosity about her personal life:
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Engagement and relationship buzz: The ring photos and hand holding posts in 2024, followed by Khalid’s 2025 birthday post, created a wave of speculation, memes and fan edits celebrating the India UAE love story.
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Supportive posts in the industry: She has occasionally gone viral for speaking up in support of fellow actresses and body positivity, which helped her reputation as grounded and empathetic.
There are no credible reports of legal controversies, political statements or serious scandals attached to her name as of December 2025.
Net Worth
Estimates of Sunaina Yella’s net worth vary across entertainment and influencer analytics sites, but all agree that her earnings have grown steadily with OTT and social media exposure.
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Estimated Net Worth (non official): generally in the range of about 3 to 12 crore INR, sometimes converted to 1 to 5 million USD in international profiles.
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Main Income Sources:
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Film and web series roles in Tamil, Telugu and other South Indian languages
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Brand endorsements and collaborations
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Sponsored posts and partnerships on Instagram and X
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Event appearances and promotional campaigns
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Analytics platforms estimate that her Instagram alone can generate several thousand dollars per month from brand deals, depending on campaign volume.
Social Media Presence
| Platform | Handle | Followers (Approx) |
|---|---|---|
| @thesunainaa | Around 1.2 million followers | |
| Twitter / X | @TheSunainaa | 690.2k followers |
| Official page listed as Sunainaa | 1 Million |
Lesser Known Facts About Sunaina Yella
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She grew up in Nagpur in a Telugu family and has often spoken about feeling both like a local Nagpur girl and a South industry insider at the same time.
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Sunaina is a commerce graduate, which means she could have easily pursued a more traditional corporate path, but she chose acting after realising during early shoots that performing in front of the camera felt natural.
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She is known among friends for being a tea lover and has mentioned struggling to give up her tea habit even while trying healthier routines.
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Travel is one of her favourite ways to reset. Features mention her fondness for exploring different Indian states like Kerala and hill destinations when work schedules allow.
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On X, she often shares small slices of life like celebrating Diwali, enjoying a saree mood or asking fans to send homemade snacks, which adds to her girl next door image.
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She has experimented with different screen names, including a phase where she briefly used the name Anusha, inspired by one of her film characters.
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Many fans admire her thick eyebrows and natural makeup looks, which stand out in an industry that often favours heavy glam.
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She appears to be quite private about family details, even though her siblings and parents are occasionally mentioned in third party profiles.
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Industry writers frequently describe her as empathetic and low drama, someone who prefers focusing on craft rather than staying in headlines for controversy.
Latest Updates
As of December 2025:
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Sunaina Yella is based largely in Hyderabad, travelling frequently to Chennai and other cities for shoots and brand work.
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Relationship wise, her engagement and romance with Khalid Al Ameri continue to attract global attention, with Indian and Middle Eastern media covering every new appearance and post.
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On the work front, she remains active in South cinema, with Kuberaa and other yet to be officially titled projects expected to shape her 2025 to 2026 slate, plus more streaming ventures after the response to Inspector Rishi.
Because casting and release calendars often shift, fans can expect more concrete 2026 announcements directly from her social media handles and production houses.
FAQs
Q1. What is Sunaina Yella’s age?
Sunaina Yella was born on 17 April 1989, which makes her 36 years old as of 2025.
Q2. Is Sunaina Yella married?
She is not publicly reported as married yet, but multiple reliable sources describe her as engaged to Emirati influencer and content creator Khalid Al Ameri.
Q3. Who is Sunaina Yella dating in 2025?
In 2025, Sunaina Yella is widely known to be in a relationship with Khalid Al Ameri. Their romance was effectively made public through his birthday post and their matching Instagram stories.
Q4. What does Sunaina Yella do for a living?
She is a professional actress and model who works primarily in Tamil and Telugu films, with additional roles in Malayalam and Kannada cinema, as well as several web series on platforms like Amazon Prime Video and regional OTT services.
Q5. What is Sunaina Yella’s net worth?
Exact figures are not officially disclosed, but entertainment and finance portals typically estimate her net worth in the broad range of about 3 to 12 crore INR, earned mainly from acting, brand endorsements and social media collaborations.
Q6. What is Sunaina Yella best known for?
She is best known for films like Kadhalil Vizhunthen, Neerparavai, Samar, Raja Raja Chora and for her performance in the horror crime web series Inspector Rishi.
Q7. Has Sunaina Yella been involved in any controversies?
There are no major legal or political controversies associated with her as of December 2025. Most of the buzz around her name relates to her engagement and relationship with Khalid Al Ameri rather than negative incidents.
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