Tollywood star Sreeleela may be one of the busiest young actresses today, but a painful chapter from her past still lingers in the public memory. Back in October 2021, industrialist Surapaneni Subhakar Rao stunned the media when he publicly disowned her.
As per a report by Bollywoodshaadis, in a press conference, he stated that Sreeleela was not his daughter, clarifying that he and her mother, Swarnalatha, had separated long before she was born.
He went further, requesting that the media refrain from using his name in connection with the actress. Subhakar Rao alleged that Swarnalatha had sought additional alimony despite court verdicts and accused both mother and daughter of using his name for personal benefit.
He also claimed to have faced significant financial losses after their separation nearly two decades earlier. The comments cast a long shadow, even as Sreeleela chose to remain silent on the controversy at the time.
It wasn’t until 2023, at the trailer launch of Bhagawant Kesari, that Sreeleela spoke about her father. The film featured Balakrishna in a protective, fatherly role, and the actress admitted that he had filled a gap in her personal life.
“I’ve to thank Balakrishna garu in many ways because whenever I used to get carried away with the character and felt depressed, he used to cheer me up with jokes and say that we are fellow Geminites. Also, he has given me many experiences that I don’t have in real life,” she said.
The remarks, while not directly naming her father, were unmistakably poignant. For fans, it felt like the first time she publicly acknowledged what she had missed out on — the kind of affection and guidance a father might give.
Now, as reports suggest Sreeleela is set to appear with her mother Swarnalatha on the Telugu talk show Jayammu Nischayammu Raa, there’s renewed interest in her personal journey. With speculation that she may open up further about her early life struggles, audiences are looking back at that difficult chapter and how the actress turned adversity into strength.
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Chitrangada, Bhagavanth Kesari, Guntur Kaaram, Robinhood, Extra Ordinary Man, and Dhamaka are just a few of the South films in which the actress has appeared. But after she appeared in the song Kissik in Pushpa 2: The Rule, she became well-known, particularly in the North belt.
In the upcoming, untitled musical romantic film directed by Anurag Basu, Sreeleela will make her Bollywood debut opposite Kartik Aaryan. The film's original release date was set for Diwali 2025, but it appears that the producers have now chosen to postpone it.
The new release date for the movie has not yet been formally announced. In addition, she is working on a few South projects, including Ustaad Bhagat Singh, Parasakthi, and Mass Jathara.
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