Sreeleela (alternatively spelt as Sree Leela;[1][2] born June 14, 2001) is an American actress of Indian origin who predominantly works in Telugu and Kannada cinema. She began her career as a child artist, before playing a lead role in the 2019 Kannada film Kiss, and then starred in the Telugu films Pelli SandaD (2021), Dhamaka (2022), and Bhagavanth Kesari (2023). She is a recipient of three SIIMA awards.
Personal life
Sree Leela was born on June 14, 2001[3] into a Telugu family in Detroit, Michigan, US,[4] and was brought up in Bangalore, India.[5][6] Her mother, Swarnalatha, is a gynecologist based in Bangalore.[7] Swarnalatha was married to industrialist Surapaneni Subhakara Rao, and Leela was born to Swarnalatha after the couple's separation.[6][8] Leela began her training in Bharatanatyam dance as a child. She aspired to become a doctor[3] and as of 2021 was in the final year of her MBBS.[9] In February 2022, she adopted two disabled children.[10]
Career
2017–2020: Early career
Leela made her acting debut in the 2017 Telugu film Chitrangada, portraying the younger version of Sindhu Tolani's character.[11] Director A. P. Arjun came across Leela's pictures, taken by cinematographer Bhuvan Gowda, on social media and cast her in a lead role in his 2019 film, Kiss. 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.[12]
Filming for Kiss began in 2017, while Leela was in the first year of her pre-university course.[3] The film was released in 2019 and proved successful at the box office.[13] A. Sharadhaa of The New Indian Express stated that Leela made a confident debut, writing, "Sreeleela looks stylish and garners equal attention."[14]Times of India critic Vinay Lokesh echoed the sentiment by stating that Leela shined in her role.[15] A month later, her second film, Bharaate, opposite Sriimurali, was released.[16] Reviewing her performance for The News Minute, Aravind Shwetha wrote: "Leela is good and holds her own along with Sri Murali when it comes to acting and screen presence."[17] 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."[18]
2021–present
Leela in 2022
In 2021, Leela was cast in the romantic musical film Pelli SandaD, marking her debut in Telugu cinema.[19] The actress described her character as a "role to die for".[20] While the film received negative reviews, Leela's role garnered appreciation from critics.[21] Sangeetha Devi of The Hindu called the film a "costly showreel" of the lead pair, Roshan and Leela, opining that they looked fresh and effervescent but lacked chemistry.[22]
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.[23] A review from Deccan Herald opined that while she was impressive, Leela's Kannada pronunciation had room for improvement.[24] She later made a special appearance in the song "Trademark" from the 2022 film James.[25] Following the success of Pelli SandaD, Leela received multiple offers in Telugu films.[21][26] She next starred in Dhamaka, beside Ravi Teja. The film was a box office success.[27]
In 2024, Sreeleela played the lead opposite Mahesh Babu in Guntur Kaaram.[35] Neeshita Nyayapati of Hindustan Times wrote, "While Sreeleela dances like a dream, her character could've had some bearing on the story in the least."[36] This film was also a box-office flop.[37]
Filmography
Key
†
Denotes films that have not yet been released
List of appearances, with year, title, and role shown
