Shanvi Srivastava grew up in Varanasi and completed her schooling at Children’s College, Azamgarh. Later, she pursued a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Thakur College of Science and Commerce, Mumbai, graduating in 2016. Coming from a family with strong artistic roots, her elder sister Vidisha Srivastava is also an actress, while her brother Gaurav Srivastava pursued other professional paths.
Shanvi made her acting debut in 2012 with the Telugu romantic comedy Lovely while still a student. She followed it up with Adda (2013), where her performance as a fashion design student was praised. She then appeared in Ram Gopal Varma’s Rowdy (2014). Her Kannada debut came with Chandralekha (2014), a horror-comedy where she played a possessed character, earning critical acclaim.
Her breakthrough in Kannada cinema arrived with Masterpiece (2015), opposite Yash, which was a box office success. She later starred in Sundaranga Jaana (2016), Tarak (2017), and Mufti (2017), all of which solidified her reputation as a versatile actress. In Tarak, she played a cancer patient, a role that won her the SIIMA Award for Best Actress. In 2018, she made her international debut in the Chinese drama series Ye Tian Zi (The Dark Lord), learning Mandarin for the role.
Her most notable performance came in Avane Srimannarayana (2019), where she played a journalist opposite Rakshit Shetty. The film became one of the highest-grossing Kannada films of all time. She later debuted in Malayalam cinema with Mahaveeryar (2022). Her recent projects include Baang (2023), Raanti (2024, Marathi debut), and Trishulam (2025). Shanvi continues to be admired for her ability to adapt across languages and genres, making her one of the most respected actresses in South Indian cinema.