Sriranjani (22 February 1927 – 27 April 1974) was an Indian actress active in Telugu and Tamil films. She was the younger sister of

Sriranjani Sriranjani is a ragam in Carnatic music (musical scale of South Indian classical music). It is a hexatonic scale (''shadava'' rāgam, which means "of six"). It is a derived scale (''janya'' rāgam), as it does not have all the seven ''swaras' ...

. She is known mainly for her tragedy roles particularly as the long-suffering wife.

Life in Brief

Sriranjani was born in Murikipudi village of

Guntur district Guntur district is one of the twenty six districts in the Coastal Andhra region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The administrative seat of the district is located at Guntur, the largest city of the district in terms of area and with a po ...

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

. 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 Chitrapu Narayana Rao (born Chithrapu Narayana Murthy; 1913) was an Indian film director and producer known for his works in Telugu and Tamil cinema. He received a Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Tamil Film for ''Edhir Paradhathu'' (195 ...

encouraged her and gave her chance to act in the film ''

Bhishma Bhishma (Sanskrit: भीष्‍म, , ), also known as Pitamaha, Gangaputra, and Devavrata, played an integral role in Mahabharata. He was the supreme commander of the Kaurava forces during the Kurukshetra War mentioned in the Hindu epic M ...

'' in 1944. She subsequently acted in ''Gollabhama'', ''Brahmachari'', ''Gitanjali'', ''Madalasa'', ''Laila Majnu'' etc., Her life turned brighter as a heroine character in

Gunasundari Katha ''Gunasundari Katha'' is a 1949 Indian Telugu language fantasy film produced and directed by K. V. Reddy, starring Sriranjani, Kasturi Siva Rao, Santha Kumari. The script was written by Pingali Nagendra Rao, K. V. Reddy, and Kamalakara Kameswa ...

in 1949, directed by famous

K. V. Reddy Kadiri Venkata Reddy (1 July 1912 – 15 September 1972) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who primarily worked in Telugu cinema. He is considered as one of the greatest directors in the history of Telugu cinema. He d ...

. In this film her Gunasundari character established her in the industry. She subsequently acted in the Tamil version of Gunasundari Katha and obtained critical reviews. She acted as heroine in the magnum opus ''

Chandraharam ''Chandraharam'' is a 1954 Telugu-Tamil bilingual swashbuckler film directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao in his debut. It was produced by Nagi Reddy-Chakrapani under the Vijaya Productions banner. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Savitri and Sriran ...

''. 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 Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

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 ''Rajee En Kanmani'' ( en, Rajee, my darling, italic=yes) is a 1954 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film directed by K. J. Mahadevan and produced by S. S. Vasan. The film stars T. R. Ramachandran and Sriranjani Jr. A remake of Charlie Chap ...

(1954).Rajee En Kanmani 1954 review in the Hindu.
/ref> The film is based on the

City Lights ''City Lights'' is a 1931 American silent romantic comedy film written, produced, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin. The story follows the misadventures of Chaplin's Tramp as he falls in love with a blind girl (Virginia Cherrill) and ...

(1931) of

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...

. She retired from films in 1960, but returned for a few guest roles. She died in 1974. Rathakaneer 1954

Penn Kulathin Pon Vilakku (1959)

* Inti Kodalu (1974) * Galipatalu (1974) *

Jeevana Tarangalu ''Jeevana Tarangalu'' () is a 1973 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by T. Rama Rao. The film stars Sobhan Babu, Krishnam Raju, Vanisri, Chandramohan, and Lakshmi. It is based on a novel by Yaddanapudi Sulochana Rani, and won three F ...

(1973) *

Bhakta Tukaram ''Bhakta Tukaram'' is a 1973 Indian Telugu-language biographical film based on the life of the saint-poet Tukaram, produced by P. Adinarayana Rao under the Anjali Pictures banner and directed by V. Madhusudhana Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara R ...

(1973) *

Jeevitha Chakram Jeevitha Chakram () is a 1971 Indian Telugu-language drama film directed by C. S. Rao. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Vanisri and Sarada, with music composed by Shankar–Jaikishan. It is produced by P. Gangadhar Rao under the Nava Sakthi Productio ...

(1971) * Bhale Tammudu (1969) *

Aggi Meeda Guggilam Aggi may refer to: * The Aggi Crew, an organized crime syndicate from Bristol, England * Aggi-Bhagava, an Indian god * The Aggi-Vacchagotta Sutta, a Buddhist sutta * '' Throw Aggi Off the Bridge'', a 1992 EP by Black Tambourine * ''Agrostemma gith ...

(1968) *

Nenante Nene ''Nenante Nene'' () is a 1968 Indian Telugu-language masala film directed by V. Ramachandra Rao and produced by P. N. Babji. A remake of the 1967 Tamil film ''Naan'', it stars Krishna, Kanchana, Krishnam Raju and Nagabhushanam. The film focuse ...

(1968) *

Bangaru Panjaram ''Bangaru Panjaram'' () is 1969 Indian Telugu-language romantic musical film directed by B. N. Reddy, and written by Palagummi Padmaraju. The soundtrack was helmed by S. Rajeswara Rao, with lyrics penned by Devulapalli Krishnasastri. The film is ...

(1965) * Sri Krishnarjuna Yudham (1963) *

Mahakavi Kalidasu ''Mahakavi Kalidasu'' is a 1960 Indian Telugu-language biographical film directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao and written by Pingali. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Sriranjani Jr., with music composed by Pendyala. It was produced by K. N ...

(Telugu, 1960) *

Krishna Leelalu Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Svayam Bhagavan, Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and lo ...

(1959) * Arasala Pirandavan (1958) (dubbed version of Mantra Dandam * Vaddante Pelli (1957) as Gowri * Preme Daivam (1957) *

Penki Pellam ''Penki Pellam'' ( stubborn wife) is a 1956 Telugu-language drama film, produced by D. B. Narayana and S. Bhavanarayana under the Sahini Art Productions banner and directed by Kamalakara Kameswara Rao. It stars N. T. Rama Rao, Rajasulochana, Sr ...

(1956) *

Uma Sundari ''Uma Sundari'' is a 1956 Indian Telugu-language film, produced by M. Somasundaram under the Jupiter Pictures Pvt. Ltd. banner and directed by P. Pullayya. It stars N. T. Rama Rao and Sriranjani Jr., with music composed by Ashwathama. Plot Onc ...

(1956) *

Santhanam Santhanam or Santanam ( te, సంతానం) is an Indian name that may refer to: People * K. Santhanam (1895–1980), Indian politician * Madabusi Santanam Raghunathan (born 1941), Indian mathematician * Maharajapuram Santhanam (1928–1992) ...

(1955) *

Shri Krishna Tulabharam Shri (; , ) is a Sanskrit term denoting resplendence, wealth and prosperity, primarily used as an honorific. The word is widely used in languages of South Asia, South and classification schemes for Southeast Asian languages, Southeast Asian lan ...

(1955) *

Ratha Kanneer ''Ratha Kanneer'' () is a 1954 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed by Krishnan–Panju, and written by Tiruvarur K. Thangaraj. Based on Thangaraj's play of the same name, the film stars M. R. Radha, Sriranjani and S. S. Rajendran, with C ...

(1954) *

(1954) * Amarasandesam (1954) * Peddamanushulu (1954) *

(1954) * Thilakam (1959) *

Orey Vazhi ''Orey Vazhi'' ( en, The Only Way, italic=yes) is a 1959 Indian Tamil language film directed by K. Shankar. The film stars Prem Nazir and M. N. Rajam. It was remade in Hindi as ''Shaadi'' (1962). Plot Mohan is a brilliant lawyer. He was ...

(1959) *

Bratuku Teruvu ''Bratuku Teruvu'' () is a 1953 Telugu-language drama film, produced by Kovelamudi Bhaskar Rao under the Bhaskar Productions banner and directed by P. S. Ramakrishna Rao. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Savitri, with music composed by Gh ...

(1953) * Kathal (1952) * Manavati (1952) * Parasakthi (1952) * Prema (1952) * Rajeshwari (1952) * Kumari (1952) *

Sankranti Sankranti ( sa, संक्रान्ति ''saṁkrānti or saṅkramaṇa'') means transmigration of the Sun from one zodiac to another in Indian astronomy. Each Sankranti is marked as the beginning of a month in the sidereal solar calen ...

(1952) * Mantra Dandam (1951) * Vali Sugriva (1950) *

Laila Majnu ''Layla & Majnun'' ( ar, مجنون ليلى ; Layla's Mad Lover) is an old story of Arab origin, about the 7th-century Bedouin poet Qays ibn al-Mulawwah and his ladylove Layla bint Mahdi (later known as Layla al-Aamiriya). "The Layla ...

(1949) *

Gitanjali __NOTOC__ ''Gitanjali'' ( bn, গীতাঞ্জলি, lit='Song offering') is a collection of poems by the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore received the Nobel Prize for Literature, for the English translation, Gitanjali:''Song Offer ...

(1948) * Madalasa (1948) * Gollabhama (1947) *

Brahma Ratham Brahma Ratham ( te, బ్రహ్మ రథం) is a 1947 Telugu drama film directed by Chitrapu Narayana Rao. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Balijepalli Lakshmikantam. Cast * Kalyanam Raghuramaiah, K. Raghuramaiah * Ad ...

(1947) * Grihapravesham (1946) *

(1944)

References

* Luminaries of 20th Century, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, 2005.

External links

* {{authority control Indian film actresses Actresses in Tamil cinema Actresses in Telugu cinema 1927 births 1974 deaths People from Guntur district 20th-century Indian actresses Actresses from Andhra Pradesh