Sriranjani (22 February 1927 – 27 April 1974) was an Indian actress active in Telugu and Tamil films. She was the younger sister of Sriranjani. She is known mainly for her tragedy roles particularly her frequent portrayal of the long-suffering wife.
Life Sriranjani was born in Murikipudi village of Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. Her elder sister, Senior Sriranjani was also an actress and is the first Sita of the Telugu screen. Her birth name is Mahalakshmi. She had grown up with her elder sister and developed interest in movies and acting. Chitrapu Narayana Murthy encouraged her and gave her chance to act in the film Bhishma in 1944. She subsequently acted in Gollabhama, Brahmachari, Gitanjali, Madalasa, Laila Majnu etc., Her life turned brighter as a heroine character in Gunasundari Katha in 1949, directed by famous K. V. Reddy. In this film her Gunasundari character established her in the industry. She acted as heroine in the magnum opus Chandraharam. Though she acted in many films like Mantradandam, Sankranthi, Prema, Bratuku Teruvu, Svayamprabha, Ramanjaneya Yuddham her best portrayal was the all-time hit of Gunasundari Katha.
In her Tamil film Parasakthi (1952), Sriranjani portrayed the male ideal of virtuous Hindu womanhood. In the same year, she also starred with MGR in the movie Kumari. Another serious role of Sriranjani was as Chandra (the wife of the hero, a lothario who suffers from leprosy) in Ratha Kanneer, a 1954 Tamil movie. Sriranjani played Rajee in the Tamil film Rajee En Kanmani (1954).Rajee En Kanmani 1954 review in the Hindu. The film is based on the City Lights (1931) of Charlie Chaplin.
She retired from films in 1960, but returned for a few guest roles. She died in 1974.
Partial filmography Year Title Role Language Notes 1944 Bhishma Telugu 1946 Gruhapravesam Telugu 1947 Brahma Ratham Telugu 1947 Gollabhama Telugu 1948 Madalasa Telugu 1948 Gitanjali Telugu 1949 Gunasundari Katha Telugu 1949 Laila Majnu Telugu 1950 Vali Sugriva Telugu 1951 Mantra Dandam Telugu 1952 Sankranti Telugu 1952 Rajeswari Telugu 1952 Prema Telugu 1952 Manavati Telugu 1952 Parasakthi Tamil 1952 Kumari Tamil 1952 Kaadhal Tamil 1952 Manavathi Tamil 1953 Bratuku Teruvu Telugu 1954 Peddamanushulu Telugu 1954 Amarasandesam Telugu 1954 Chandraharam Telugu 1954 Chandraharam Tamil 1954 Illara Jothi Tamil 1954 Rajee En Kanmani Tamil 1954 Ratha Kanneer Tamil 1955 Sri Krishna Tulabharam Telugu 1955 Santhanam Telugu 1956 Uma Sundari Telugu 1956 Penki Pellam Telugu 1956 Naane Raja Tamil 1957 Preme Daivam Telugu 1957 Vaddante Pelli Gowri Telugu 1957 Anbe Deivam Tamil 1957 Premada Putri Kannada 1959 Krishna Leelalu Devaki Telugu 1959 Penn Kulathin Pon Vilakku Tamil 1959 Orey Vazhi Tamil 1960 Mahakavi Kalidasu Telugu 1960 Thilakam Tamil 1962 Vikramaadhithan Tamil 1963 Sri Krishnarjuna Yudham Telugu 1963 Idhu Sathiyam Tamil 1965 Bangaru Panjaram Telugu 1967 Naan Tamil 1968 Nenante Nene Telugu 1968 Aggi Meeda Guggilam Telugu 1968 Moondrezhuthu Tamil 1969 Bhale Tammudu Telugu 1969 Ukku Pidugu Maharani Shanthimathi Devi of Kalinga Telugu 1969 Raja Simha Ratanavali Telugu 1969 Kaaval Dheivam Tamil 1971 Jeevitha Chakram Telugu 1972 Sampoorna Ramayanam Sumitra Telugu 1972 Vazhai Yadi Vazha Tamil 1973 Bhakta Tukaram Telugu 1973 Jeevana Tarangalu Telugu 1973 Ponnunjal Tamil 1974 Galipatalu Telugu 1974 Inti Kodalu Telugu
References
Luminaries of 20th Century, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, 2005.
External links