Sreeleela is an American actress of Indian origin born on June 14, 2001, in Detroit, Michigan, United States. She primarily works in Telugu and Kannada cinema and rose to prominence with her lead debut in the 2019 Kannada film Kiss. Sreeleela is notable for pursuing both an acting career and medical studies, having completed her MBBS degree on February 11, 2026.
Sreeleela Early Life
Sreeleela was born into a Telugu family in Detroit, Michigan, and was brought up in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Her maternal grandparents are from Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, and she frequently visited the place during her childhood. Her mother, Swarnalatha, is a gynaecologist based in Bengaluru.
There was public controversy regarding her father’s identity in 2021 when industrialist Surapaneni Subhakara Rao, who was previously married to Swarnalatha, publicly declared that Sreeleela was not his daughter. He stated that he and Swarnalatha had separated long before Sreeleela was born. Swarnalatha has not publicly stated who Sreeleela’s father is.
Sreeleela Education
Sreeleela began her training in Bharatanatyam dance as a child and completed her Arangetram (debut on-stage performance) by the age of eight. She aspired to become a doctor from a young age and enrolled in a medical college in Bangalore to pursue an MBBS degree. As of 2021, she was in the final year of her MBBS while simultaneously working in films.
On February 11, 2026, Sreeleela successfully completed her MBBS course, achieving her dream of becoming a doctor at the age of 24.
Sreeleela Career
Early Work (2017-2020)
Sreeleela made her acting debut as a child artist in the 2017 Telugu film Chitrangada, portraying the younger version of Sindhu Tolani’s character. Director A. P. Arjun discovered her through pictures taken by cinematographer Bhuvan Gowda on social media and cast her in a lead role in his 2019 film Kiss. Filming for Kiss began in 2017 when Sreeleela was just 16 years old and in her first year of pre-university studies.
The film Kiss was released in 2019 and became a box office hit. A. Sharadhaa of The New Indian Express stated that Sreeleela made a confident debut, noting that she “looks stylish and garners equal attention”. A month later, her second film Bharaate (2019) opposite Sriimurali was released.
Telugu Cinema Breakthrough (2021-2023)
In 2021, Sreeleela made her Telugu debut with the romantic musical film Pelli SandaD, playing the role of Kondaveeti Sahasra. While the film received negative reviews, Sreeleela’s performance garnered appreciation from critics. Following the success, she received multiple offers in Telugu films.
In 2022, Sreeleela starred in the Telugu film Dhamaka opposite Ravi Teja, which became a box office success. She won the South Indian International Movie Award for Best Actress – Telugu for this performance. She also appeared in the Kannada romantic comedy By Two Love (2022) and made a special appearance in the song “Trademark” from James (2022).
In 2023, Sreeleela appeared in multiple films including Skanda opposite Ram Pothineni, Bhagavanth Kesari alongside Nandamuri Balakrishna and Kajal Aggarwal, Aadikeshava, and Extra Ordinary Man opposite Nithin. Bhagavanth Kesari was a box office success and became one of the top-grossing Telugu films of 2023. Her performance earned her a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu.
Recent Work (2024-2026)
In 2024, Sreeleela played the lead opposite Mahesh Babu in Guntur Kaaram. Though the film was a box-office flop, her performance in the song “Kurchi Madathapetti” was praised. She then appeared in the special dance number “Kissik” alongside Allu Arjun in Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024).
In 2025, Sreeleela starred in Robinhood opposite Nithiin, which was a critical and commercial failure. She then played a college student in the bilingual (Telugu/Kannada) film Junior (2025). Her other 2025 releases include Mass Jathara.
Sreeleela Movies
Sreeleela has appeared in over 20 films across Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil cinema industries. Her notable movies include:
Kannada Films:
- Kiss (2019) – as Nandini
- Bharaate (2019) – as Radha
- By Two Love (2022) – as Leela
- James (2022) – Special appearance
- Junior (2025) – as Spoorthy
Telugu Films:
- Pelli SandaD (2021) – as Kondaveeti Sahasra
- Dhamaka (2022) – as Pranavi Reddy
- Skanda (2023) – as Sreeleela Reddy
- Bhagavanth Kesari (2023) – as Vijayalakshmi
- Aadikeshava (2023) – as Chitra
- Extra Ordinary Man (2023) – as Likitha
- Guntur Kaaram (2024) – as Amukta
- Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024) – Special appearance
- Robinhood (2025) – as Neera Vasudev
- Mass Jathara (2025) – as Tulasi
Upcoming Films:
- Parasakthi (2026) – Tamil film as Ratnamala
- Ustaad Bhagat Singh (2026) – Telugu film, currently filming
- Untitled Anurag Basu film (2026) – Hindi film, currently filming
Sreeleela Age
Sreeleela is 24 years old as of February 2026. She was born on June 14, 2001.
Sreeleela Personal Life
Sreeleela Marital Status and Husband
Sreeleela is not married. Her marital status is unmarried, and she has not publicly disclosed any romantic relationships. She is currently focused on her acting career and medical studies.
Sreeleela Adoption
In February 2022, Sreeleela adopted two disabled children – a 10-month-old boy named Guru and a daughter named Shobhitha. In April 2025, she adopted a third child. In an interview, Sreeleela explained that she does not live with the children but takes care of their expenses within the orphanage where they reside.
Sreeleela Other Interests
Sreeleela is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer and continues to have dancing as a hobby. She is a vegetarian and a dog lover who owns a pet dog. She frequently posts pictures with her dog on her Instagram account.
Sreeleela Awards and Recognition
Sreeleela has won three South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA):
- 2021: Best Female Debut – Kannada for Kiss (2019)
- 2022: Most Promising Newcomer – Female for Pelli SandaD (2021)
- 2023: Best Actress – Telugu for Dhamaka (2022)
She has also received several nominations including:
- Filmfare Awards South 2024: Best Supporting Actress – Telugu for Bhagavanth Kesari (Nominated)
- IIFA Utsavam 2024: Best Actress – Telugu for Bhagavanth Kesari (Nominated)
- SIIMA 2024: Best Actress – Telugu for Bhagavanth Kesari (Nominated)