# Yukti Thareja
**Yukti Thareja** is an Indian model and actress known for her work in Telugu and Malayalam films, Hindi music videos, and streaming series. She first gained wide attention as a contestant on the modeling reality show MTV Supermodel of the Year and as the female lead of the 2021 music video "Lut Gaye," sung by [Jubin Nautiyal](https://www.edgepedia.org/jubin-nautiyal), before moving into feature films with *Rangabali* (2023) and the Malayalam blockbuster *Marco* (2024).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12321538/)
Sources disagree on her birth date: IMDb lists 2002, in Haryana, while several Indian entertainment outlets, including Tupaki and filmi.ai, state January 5, 2000, in Karnal, Haryana.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12321538/) • [2](https://www.tupaki.com/photogallery/yukti-thareja-effortless-charm-1502882) • [3](https://filmi.ai/person/yukti-thareja) She is an alumna of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce in Delhi.[4](https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/who-is-yukti-thareja-the-actress-of-malayalam-blockbuster-movie-marco-her-educational-qualifications-and-other-achievements/amp_articleshow/117327775.cms)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | Born in Haryana; sources give the date as 2002 (IMDb) or January 5, 2000, in Karnal (Tupaki, filmi.ai)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12321538/) • [2](https://www.tupaki.com/photogallery/yukti-thareja-effortless-charm-1502882) |
| Breakthrough | Music video "Lut Gaye" (2021), sung by Jubin Nautiyal opposite Emraan Hashmi, with more than 1 billion YouTube views[4](https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/who-is-yukti-thareja-the-actress-of-malayalam-blockbuster-movie-marco-her-educational-qualifications-and-other-achievements/amp_articleshow/117327775.cms) |
| Telugu debut | *Rangabali* (2023), opposite Naga Shaurya, as Dr. Sahaja Reddy, directed by Pawan Basamsetti[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12321538/) • [2](https://www.tupaki.com/photogallery/yukti-thareja-effortless-charm-1502882) |
| Malayalam debut | *Marco* (2024) opposite Unni Mukundan, as Maria; the first A-rated Malayalam film to cross Rs 1 billion (Rs 100 crore) and her highest-grossing film[4](https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/who-is-yukti-thareja-the-actress-of-malayalam-blockbuster-movie-marco-her-educational-qualifications-and-other-achievements/amp_articleshow/117327775.cms) |
| 2025 work | *K-Ramp* as Mercy Joy opposite Kiran Abbavaram; the JioHotstar series *Hai Junoon! Dream. Dare. Dominate.*; *Delhi Crime* Season 3 as Simran Masih[5](https://www.filmfare.com/news/south/yukti-thareja-on-k-ramp-success-and-more-telugu-audiences-love-and-celebrate-cinema-78821.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12321538/) |
| Upcoming | Female lead opposite Shahid Kapoor in *Farzi* Season 2 on Prime Video; an untitled Kannada film opposite Nikhil Kumaraswamy[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/yukti-thareja) • [2](https://www.tupaki.com/photogallery/yukti-thareja-effortless-charm-1502882) |
## Early career and modeling
Thareja began performing during college. She was the president of a dance troupe at her college in Haryana and gave more than 100 dance performances, which she credits with pushing her toward show business.[5](https://www.filmfare.com/news/south/yukti-thareja-on-k-ramp-success-and-more-telugu-audiences-love-and-celebrate-cinema-78821.html) She won a Fresh Face pageant competition, and the win led her to join a modeling agency and work in advertising commercials.[5](https://www.filmfare.com/news/south/yukti-thareja-on-k-ramp-success-and-more-telugu-audiences-love-and-celebrate-cinema-78821.html)
Her date of participation in MTV Supermodel of the Year is reported differently by sources: IMDb places it in 2020, while the Times of India, Filmfare, and Tupaki place it in 2019.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12321538/) • [7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/yukti-thareja-to-join-unni-mukundans-marco/articleshow/110270756.cms) • [5](https://www.filmfare.com/news/south/yukti-thareja-on-k-ramp-success-and-more-telugu-audiences-love-and-celebrate-cinema-78821.html) A casting director who saw her dance at a party offered her a part in the show, and she continued giving auditions from home during the COVID-19 lockdown, when she was in the final year of her graduation. She then relocated to Mumbai and received a call for a television commercial two days after arriving.[5](https://www.filmfare.com/news/south/yukti-thareja-on-k-ramp-success-and-more-telugu-audiences-love-and-celebrate-cinema-78821.html)
## Music-video breakthrough
Thareja's widest early exposure came through music videos. In 2021 she appeared opposite [Emraan Hashmi](https://www.edgepedia.org/emraan-hashmi) in "Lut Gaye," a romantic ballad sung by Jubin Nautiyal and released by T-Series; the video gained more than 1 billion views on YouTube, and the Economic Times describes it as the moment she first came into the limelight.[4](https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/who-is-yukti-thareja-the-actress-of-malayalam-blockbuster-movie-marco-her-educational-qualifications-and-other-achievements/amp_articleshow/117327775.cms) In a 2023 interview she said that after the song she received offers from both Telugu and [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) but declined those she found unconvincing.[8](https://www.ragalahari.com/tollywood-news-2026-october/178024/k-ramp-marco-actress-yukti-thareja-lands-a-new-project)
## Film career
**Rangabali, 2023.** Thareja made her feature film debut in the Telugu romantic comedy *Rangabali*, released on July 7, 2023, opposite [Naga Shaurya](https://www.edgepedia.org/naga-shaurya), playing Dr. Sahaja Reddy. It was the directorial debut of Pawan Basamsetti, produced by Sri Lakshmi Venkateswara Cinemas.[2](https://www.tupaki.com/photogallery/yukti-thareja-effortless-charm-1502882) • [9](https://southindianactress.in/yukti-thareja-to-debut-in-tollywood/) Her mother tongue is Hindi, and she described learning Telugu dialogue as the main challenge of the production, helped by the direction team receiving the script in advance.[10](https://southindianactress.in/yukti-thareja-stills-at-rangabali-movie-interview/)
**Marco, 2024.** In December 2024 she entered [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema) with the action thriller *Marco*, written and directed by Haneef Adeni, opposite [Unni Mukundan](https://www.edgepedia.org/unni-mukundan) in the title role of a gangster. Thareja played Maria, the girlfriend of Mukundan's character, in a film produced by Shareef Muhammed under Cubes Entertainments.[4](https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/who-is-yukti-thareja-the-actress-of-malayalam-blockbuster-movie-marco-her-educational-qualifications-and-other-achievements/amp_articleshow/117327775.cms) • [7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/yukti-thareja-to-join-unni-mukundans-marco/articleshow/110270756.cms) *Marco* became the first-ever A-rated Malayalam film to cross Rs 1 billion (Rs 100 crore) at the box office, earning about Rs 1 billion (Rs 100 crore) against a production budget of Rs 300 million (Rs 30 crore) according to Sacnilk figures cited by the Economic Times, and it is her highest-grossing film.[4](https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/who-is-yukti-thareja-the-actress-of-malayalam-blockbuster-movie-marco-her-educational-qualifications-and-other-achievements/amp_articleshow/117327775.cms)
## 2025: K-Ramp and streaming work
**K-Ramp.** Thareja starred opposite Kiran Abbavaram in the Telugu romantic comedy *K-Ramp*, released on October 18, 2025, for Diwali, playing Mercy Joy. The film opened to mixed reviews but picked up momentum in theaters, and trade commentators described it as a box office success; she called the response "a validation for our hard work."[5](https://www.filmfare.com/news/south/yukti-thareja-on-k-ramp-success-and-more-telugu-audiences-love-and-celebrate-cinema-78821.html) Her character experiences post-traumatic stress disorder, and the film follows a privileged young man's journey of empathy after meeting her.[5](https://www.filmfare.com/news/south/yukti-thareja-on-k-ramp-success-and-more-telugu-audiences-love-and-celebrate-cinema-78821.html) • [6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/yukti-thareja) *K-Ramp* arrived on Aha Video less than a month after its theatrical release.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/yukti-thareja)
**Streaming.** In 2025 she appeared in the JioHotstar musical drama series *Hai Junoon! Dream. Dare. Dominate.* and in *Delhi Crime* Season 3 as Simran Masih, a role credited over three episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12321538/) • [2](https://www.tupaki.com/photogallery/yukti-thareja-effortless-charm-1502882)
## Upcoming projects
She played Bhargavi, called "the Queen," in the Telugu period crime drama *KJQ* (*King Jackie Queen*), set in the 1990s, opposite Dheekshith Shetty and debutant Shashi Odela; the film was released worldwide on August 7, 2026, and marked the final directorial work of the late director KK, produced by Sudhakar Cherukuri under SLV Cinemas.[11](https://ianslive.in/kjq-makers-reveal-yukti-tharejas-character-in-film--20260801201135) In October 2026 she was confirmed as the new female lead opposite [Shahid Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/shahid-kapoor) in the second season of Prime Video's crime-thriller series *Farzi*, directed by Raj and DK; she said all her scenes are with Shahid Kapoor and the season is expected in mid-2027.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/yukti-thareja) • [8](https://www.ragalahari.com/tollywood-news-2026-october/178024/k-ramp-marco-actress-yukti-thareja-lands-a-new-project) She also has an untitled Kannada film opposite Nikhil Kumaraswamy in development.[2](https://www.tupaki.com/photogallery/yukti-thareja-effortless-charm-1502882)
## Public presence
Thareja's Instagram account, @realyukti, had about 968,000 followers as of late 2026, up from the more than 900,000 the Economic Times reported in January 2025.[4](https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/who-is-yukti-thareja-the-actress-of-malayalam-blockbuster-movie-marco-her-educational-qualifications-and-other-achievements/amp_articleshow/117327775.cms) • [12](https://imginn.com/realyukti/)
## References
1. [Yukti Thareja, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12321538/)
2. [Spotlight on Yukti Thareja: Career Highlights & Ongoing Movies, Tupaki](https://www.tupaki.com/photogallery/yukti-thareja-effortless-charm-1502882)
3. [Yukti Thareja movies, filmi.ai](https://filmi.ai/person/yukti-thareja)
4. [Who is Yukti Thareja, the actress of Malayalam blockbuster movie 'Marco'?, The Economic Times](https://m.economictimes.com/magazines/panache/who-is-yukti-thareja-the-actress-of-malayalam-blockbuster-movie-marco-her-educational-qualifications-and-other-achievements/amp_articleshow/117327775.cms)
5. [Yukti Thareja on K-Ramp Success and More, Filmfare](https://www.filmfare.com/news/south/yukti-thareja-on-k-ramp-success-and-more-telugu-audiences-love-and-celebrate-cinema-78821.html)
6. [Yukti Thareja topic page, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/yukti-thareja)
7. ['Lut Gaye' fame actress Yukti Thareja to join Unni Mukundan's 'Marco', Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/yukti-thareja-to-join-unni-mukundans-marco/articleshow/110270756.cms)
8. [K-Ramp, Marco actress Yukti Thareja lands a new project, Ragalahari](https://www.ragalahari.com/tollywood-news-2026-october/178024/k-ramp-marco-actress-yukti-thareja-lands-a-new-project)
9. [Yukti Thareja to debut in Tollywood, South Indian Actress](https://southindianactress.in/yukti-thareja-to-debut-in-tollywood/)
10. [Yukti Thareja stills at Rangabali movie interview, South Indian Actress](https://southindianactress.in/yukti-thareja-stills-at-rangabali-movie-interview/)
11. ['KJQ' makers reveal Yukti Thareja's character in film, IANS](https://ianslive.in/kjq-makers-reveal-yukti-tharejas-character-in-film--20260801201135)
12. [Yukti Thareja (@realyukti) Instagram profile statistics, Imginn](https://imginn.com/realyukti/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of South Asia › Indian screen actors, 2000s onward › Surnames T to Y*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license