Ananya marked the beginning of her acting career in Malayalam with a starring role in the film Positive, which was released in the year 2008. Interestingly, the same year also witnessed her rise to fame in her debut Tamil film Naadodigal, a commercial success that garnered widespread acclaim and attention. Her impressive performance in the film earned her recognition and praise from critics and audiences alike.
Later that year, Ananya starred alongside the renowned actor Mohanlal in the Malayalam film Shikkar, a significant milestone in her career. The film's climax featured some intense and thrilling scenes, which left a lasting impression on Mohanlal himself. His admiration for her talent led him to nickname her the "Vijaya Shanthi" of Malayalam, a testament to her exceptional skills as an actress.
Ananya's filmography also boasts the highly anticipated Malayalam movie Kandahar, a project that promises to be one of her most notable works to date. The film, which is slated for a simultaneous release in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi, will feature Ananya sharing the screen with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Mohanlal, Sunil Shetty, and Amitabh Bachchan.