She dreamt of becoming an Army officer… Aishwarya Raj arrived as an Officer on Duty

Aishwarya Raj, hailing from Kodumon, once dreamt of donning an army uniform, but fate led her instead to the shooting floors of the film industry. While studying for her degree at NSS College, Pandalam, she was an active member of the NCC and represented her college in national-level shooting competitions. Her ambition was to join the Indian Army.

However, life took a turn when she stepped onto the stage for drama during the college days after the insistence of her friends.. She played ‘Helen of Sparta’ from Greek mythology, a performance that won her appreciation and applause.

Paved the way to Officer on Duty

While pursuing her Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication at Amrita College, Ernakulam, Aishwarya took up acting in short films, in which she played a lead role. These experiences boosted her confidence, and she decided to focus on acting seriously.

It was then she learned that auditions are ongoing for the film Officer On Duty. The movie, written by Shahi Kabir and directed by Jithu Ashraf, starred Kunchacko Boban in the lead. Aishwarya auditioned through three rigorous rounds and was eventually selected to play the villain, Anna Louise, a police officer on duty.

Officer On Duty turned out to be the second-highest-grossing Malayalam film of 2025,which catapulted Aishwarya also into the bustling of films. Her performance as the antagonist opened new doors, landing her a central role in Half, directed by Samjad, with a script co-written by Samjad and writer Praveen Vishwanath.

Her talent has now caught the attention of filmmakers beyond Kerala, with offers coming in from the Tamil and Telugu industry as well.

Aishwarya is the younger daughter of Rajan Nair and Ramani from Kalluvila, Kodumon. Her sister, Ashwathi Raj, works as an IT professional.