Tanay Hemant Chheda was born on June 27, 1996, in Mumbai, India. He is a Gujarati Jain and has roots in Mundra, Kutch. Tanay completed his early education at Campion School and later attended Dhirubhai Ambani International School. He further pursued his studies at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, USA. Tanay is currently single and does not have a spouse. He is known for his remarkable performances as a child actor in Hindi cinema, particularly in critically acclaimed films such as Taare Zameen Par and Slumdog Millionaire. His work has earned him accolades, including a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Tanay Chheda began his acting career with the film Don: The Chase Begins Again in 2006, where he played the role of Deepu. His breakthrough came with Taare Zameen Par (2007), where he portrayed Rajan Damodaran, a supportive friend to the protagonist Ishaan. In 2008, he starred as Teenage Jamal in the award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, which brought him international recognition. He continued to act in notable films like My Name Is Khan (2010), where he played Junior Rizwan Khan, and appeared in the German film Hexe Lilli: Die Reise nach Mandolan (2011). Recently, he has been involved in the web series Cadets, showcasing his continued presence in the entertainment industry.