Sreeleela
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Sreeleela (born June 14, 2001) is an American and Indian actress who primarily works in
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
cinema, with appearances in other languages. She began her career as a child artist, before making her lead debut in the 2019 film ''
Kiss A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
''. She then starred in '' Pelli SandaD'' (2021), '' Dhamaka'' (2022), and ''
Bhagavanth Kesari ''Bhagavanth Kesari '' is a 2023 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Anil Ravipudi and produced by Sahu Garapati and Harish Peddi, under the banner of Shine Screens. It stars Nandamuri Balakrishna in the titular rol ...
'' (2023), and '' Guntur Kaaram'' (2024). She has won three
South Indian International Movie Awards The South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA Awards) rewards the artistic and technical achievements of the South Indian film industry. It was launched in 2012 by Vishnu Vardhan Induri and Brinda Prasad Adusimilli to appreciate and hono ...
.


Personal life

Sreeleela was born on June 14, 2001 into a
Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of South India ** Telugu literature, is the body of works written in the Telugu language. * Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Tel ...
family in
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, Michigan, US, and was brought up in
Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
, India. Her maternal grandparents are from
Ongole Ongole (), natively known as Ongolu, is a city in Prakasam district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the headquarters of Prakasam district. It is known for Ongole cattle, an indigenous breed of oxen. Etymology The name 'Ongole' i ...
, Andhra Pradesh, and she frequently visited the place during her childhood. Her mother, Swarnalatha, is a
gynaecologist Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences) is the area of medicine concerned with conditions affecting the female reproductive system. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, which focuses on pre ...
based in Bangalore. Swarnalatha was married to industrialist Surapaneni Subhakara Rao, and Leela was born to Swarnalatha after the couple's separation. Leela began her training in
Bharatanatyam ''Bharatanatyam'' is a Indian classical dance form that came from Tamil Nadu, India. It is a classical dance form recognized by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas of Hinduism and Jainism.< ...
dance as a child. She aspired to become a doctor and as of 2021 was in the final year of her
MBBS A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (; MBBS, also abbreviated as BM BS, MB ChB, MB BCh, or MB BChir) is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradi ...
. In February 2022, she adopted two
disabled Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physica ...
children.


Career


Early work (2017–2020)

Sreeleela made her acting debut in the 2017 Telugu film '' Chitrangada'', portraying the younger version of
Sindhu Tolani Sindhu Tolani is an Indian actress working in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi language films. Early life Tolani was born in Mumbai, India. She has been a '' Fair & Lovely'' cream model in North. Film career Sindhu Tolani made her acting deb ...
's character. Director A. P. Arjun came across Sreeleela's pictures, taken by cinematographer
Bhuvan Gowda Bhuvan Gowda is an Indian cinematographer who works in Kannada films. His popular works include ''Ugramm'' (2014), ''KGF'' duology (2018–2022) and '' Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire'' (2023). Gowda has won the SIIMA Award for Best Cinematogra ...
, on social media and cast her in a lead role in his 2019 film, ''
Kiss A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal or object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely; depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sex ...
''. The actress has stated that she chose to start her career in Kannada-language films as she grew up in Bangalore, despite having contacts in
Telugu cinema Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Cinema of India, Indian cinema dedicated to the production of Film, motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Based in Film N ...
. Filming for ''Kiss'' began in 2017, while Sreeleela was in the first year of her
pre-university course According to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), basic education comprises the two stages primary education and lower secondary education. Universal basic education Basic education featured heavily in the 1997 ISCED ...
. The film was released in 2019 and proved successful at the
box office A box office or ticket office is a place where ticket (admission), tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a Wicket gate, wicket. ...
. A. Sharadhaa of ''
The New Indian Express ''The New Indian Express'' is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper published by the Chennai-based Express Publications. It was founded in 1932 as ''The Indian Express'', under the ownership of Chennai-based P. Varadarajulu Naidu ...
'' stated that Sreeleela made a confident debut, writing, "Sreeleela looks stylish and garners equal attention." ''
Times of India ''The Times of India'' (''TOI'') is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by the Times Group. It is the List of newspapers in India by circulation, third-largest newspaper in India by circulation an ...
'' critic Vinay Lokesh echoed the sentiment by stating that Sreeleela shined in her role. A month later, her second film, ''
Bharaate ''Bharaate'' () is a 2019 Indian Kannada-language action drama film written and directed by Chethan Kumar. The film is produced by Suprith under the Sri Jagadguru Movies banner and presented by Sriimurali under Aagastya Enterprises. It feature ...
'', opposite
Sriimurali Sri Murali Gowda (born 17 December 1981), known as Sriimurali and sometimes Murali, is an Indian actor who works predominantly in Kannada cinema. After making his debut in 2003 in '' Chandra Chakori'', he appeared in '' Kanti'' as the eponymous ...
, was released. Reviewing her performance for ''
The News Minute ''The News Minute'' is an Indian digital news platform based in Bangalore, Karnataka. It was founded by Vignesh Vellore who is also the current CEO in 2014. Apart from Karnataka, it also has bureaus in the states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, ...
'', Aravind Shwetha wrote: "Sree is good and holds her own along with Sri Murali when it comes to acting and screen presence." Sharadhaa of ''The New Indian Express'' wrote that, "This is Sreeleela's second film, and she seems to be getting comfortable with being in front of the camera, and delivers what the role demands."


Career fluctuations (2021–present)

In 2021, Sreeleela was cast in the romantic musical film '' Pelli SandaD'', marking her debut in
Telugu cinema Telugu cinema, also known as Tollywood, is the segment of Cinema of India, Indian cinema dedicated to the production of Film, motion pictures in the Telugu language, widely spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Based in Film N ...
. The actress described her character as a "role to die for". While the film received negative reviews, Leela's role garnered appreciation from critics. Sangeetha Devi of ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...
'' called the film a "costly showreel" of the lead pair, Roshan and Sreeleela, opining that they looked fresh and effervescent but lacked chemistry. In 2022, she starred in the Kannada romantic comedy '' By Two Love''. Sharadhaa of ''The New Indian Express'' felt it was "a delight to watch" her in the film. A review from ''
Deccan Herald ''Deccan Herald'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper published from the Indian state of Karnataka. It was founded by businessman K. N. Guruswamy and launched on 17 June 1948. It is published by The Printers Mysore, a privately hel ...
'' opined that while she was impressive, Sreeleela's Kannada pronunciation had room for improvement. She later made a special appearance in the song "Trademark" from the 2022 film ''
James James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince Ja ...
''. Following the success of ''Pelli SandaD'', Sreeleela received multiple offers in Telugu films. She next starred in '' Dhamaka'', beside
Ravi Teja Bhupatiraju Ravi Shankar Raju (born 26 January 1968), known professionally as Ravi Teja, is an Indian actor and film producer known for his work in Telugu cinema. Recognised for his roles in action comedy films, he is popularly referred to as ...
. The film was a box office success. In 2023, Sreeleela starred in '' Skanda'', alongside
Ram Pothineni Ram Pothineni (born 15 May 1988) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Telugu films. Known for his energetic screen presence, he earned one Filmfare Award and one SIIMA Award for his work. Pothineni made his acting debut with the box offi ...
. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and was a
commercial failure Failure is the social concept of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, and is usually viewed as the opposite of success. The criteria for failure depends on context, and may be relative to a particular observer or belief system. One ...
. Leela then appeared in ''
Bhagavanth Kesari ''Bhagavanth Kesari '' is a 2023 Indian Telugu-language action drama film written and directed by Anil Ravipudi and produced by Sahu Garapati and Harish Peddi, under the banner of Shine Screens. It stars Nandamuri Balakrishna in the titular rol ...
'', alongside
Nandamuri Balakrishna Nandamuri Balakrishna (born 10 June 1960), also known as Balayya or NBK, is an Indian actor, film producer, politician and philanthropist known for his works in Telugu cinema. Balakrishna is an elected member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative A ...
and
Kajal Aggarwal Kajal A Kitchlu (née Aggarwal; born 19 June 1985), known professionally as Kajal Aggarwal, is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi films. Aggarwal is considered as one of the highest paid actresses of South In ...
, directed by
Anil Ravipudi Anil Ravipudi (born 23 November 1982) is an Indian film director and screenwriter who works in Telugu cinema. He is best known for writing and directing action comedies. His directorial debut was the action comedy ''Pataas'' (2015) and won the S ...
. The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, though it was a box office success, becoming one of the top-grossing Telugu films of 2023. Sreeleela was nominated for a
Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu The Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress Award – Telugu is given by the ''Filmfare'' magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards South, Filmfare Awards for Telugu films. The award was introduced and first given at the 50th Filmfare Awa ...
for her performance. She then appeared in the film '' Aadikeshava'', opposite
Panja Vaisshnav Tej Panja Vaishnav Tej (born 13 January 1995) is an Indian actor who works in Telugu films. He made his debut as a lead in the romantic drama '' Uppena'' (2021), which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut – South and SIIMA Award for ...
and directed by Srikanth N Reddy, which too was a critical and commercial failure. She also starred in '' Extra Ordinary Man'', opposite Nithin, which came out on December 8, 2023. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and was a
box-office bomb A box-office bomb is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the combined production budget, marketing, and distribution costs exceed the revenue after release has te ...
. In 2024, Sreeleela played the lead opposite
Mahesh Babu Ghattamaneni Mahesh Babu (born 9 August 1975) is an Indian actor who works in Telugu cinema. He is one of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema and has featured in ''Forbes India''s Celebrity 100 list since 2012. He has appeared in more tha ...
in '' Guntur Kaaram''. Neeshita Nyayapati of ''
Hindustan Times ''Hindustan Times'' is an Indian English language, English-language daily newspaper based in Delhi. It is the flagship publication of HT Media Limited, an entity controlled by the Birla family, and is owned by Shobhana Bhartia, the daughter o ...
'' wrote, "While Sreeleela dances like a dream, her character could've had some bearing on the story in the least." The film was also a box-office flop, but her performance in the song " Kurchi Madathapetti" was praised. Following this, she appeared in the special dance number "
Kissik "Kissik" is an Indian Telugu-language song, composed by Devi Sri Prasad, with lyrics written by Chandrabose, and recorded by Sublahshini for the soundtrack album of the 2024 Indian film '' Pushpa 2: The Rule'', featuring with Sreeleela and Al ...
", alongside
Allu Arjun Allu Arjun (born 8 April 1982) is an Indian actor who works in Telugu cinema. He is one of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinemaand has been featured in ''Forbes Indias Celebrity 100 list since 2014. Allu Arjun's accolades include a Na ...
, in '' Pushpa 2: The Rule''. In her first film of 2025, Sreeleela reunited with Nithiin as the lead in '' Robinhood''. The film was a critical and commercial failure. Srivathsan Nadadhur of ''
The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded as a weekly publication in 1878 by the Triplicane Six, becoming a daily in 1889. It is one of the India ...
'' stated that her character was reduced to "a fashion parade".


Filmography


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sreeleela Living people 2001 births Actresses from Detroit American emigrants to India American film actresses American actresses of Indian descent American people of Telugu descent Actresses in Telugu cinema Actresses in Kannada cinema Telugu actresses American expatriate actresses in India South Indian International Movie Awards winners 21st-century American actresses Telugu people