Imanvi’s team denies viral claims about her Indian-American Identity, writes, 'These rumours are false and baseless'

A simple birthday post for actress Imanvi has unexpectedly triggered a storm of misinformation online. The post, shared by Mythri Movie Makers, the production house behind Prabhas’ upcoming film Fauji directed by Hanu Raghavapudi was meant as a cheerful birthday wish. Instead, the comment section erupted with speculation about Imanvi’s origins, name, and nationality.

Within hours, several users alleged that Imanvi’s real name was Iman Iqbal Esmail and that she was of Pakistani descent. These claims gained traction on social media platforms, prompting the production team to issue a clarification. A source close to Mythri Movie Makers firmly denied the allegations, calling them “false and baseless.”

According to the same source, Imanvi is a proud Indian-American born in Los Angeles to parents who legally settled there and later became U.S. citizens. She is multilingual, fluent in Hindi, Telugu, Gujarati, and English, and has maintained deep ties with Indian culture. After completing her studies, she pursued dance and acting, eventually finding her way into the Indian film industry. “She feels fortunate to work here and be part of Indian cinema,” the source said.

The controversy intensified when some users claimed she changed her name to appeal more to Indian audiences, while others circulated screenshots of her supposed earlier profiles featuring a Pakistani flag emoji—images that have since been deleted. A few even claimed she was the daughter of a Pakistani Army officer, though no credible evidence or confirmation exists.