Sreeleela

Early work (2017–2020)

Sreeleela made her acting debut in the 2017 Telugu film Chitrangada, portraying the younger version of Sindhu Tolani's character.^[15] Director A. P. Arjun discovered her photographs on social media—captured by cinematographer Bhuvan Gowda—and subsequently cast her in the lead role for his 2019 film, Kiss. Sreeleela stated that she chose to launch her career in Kannada-language films because she was raised in Bengaluru, despite having existing professional contacts within the Telugu industry.^[16]

Filming for Kiss commenced in 2017 while she was in the first year of her pre-university course.^[17] The film released in 2019 and performed well at the box office.^[18] A. Sharadhaa of The New Indian Express noted that she made a confident debut, writing that she "looks stylish and garners equal attention."^[19] The Times of India critic Vinay Lokesh similarly stated that she shined in her role.^[20] A month later, her second film, Bharaate, opposite Sriimurali, was released.^[21] Reviewing her performance for The News Minute, Aravind Shwetha wrote: "Sree is good and holds her own along with Sri Murali when it comes to acting and screen presence."^[22]

Breakthrough and career expansions (2021–present)

In 2021, Sreeleela starred in the romantic musical film Pelli SandaD, marking her debut in Telugu cinema.^[23] Although the film received generally negative reviews, her performance received critical appreciation.^[24] Y. Sunita Chowdhary of The Hindu called the film a "costly showreel" for the lead pair, opining that Sreeleela and co-star Roshan Meka appeared fresh but lacked romantic chemistry.^[25]

In 2022, she starred in the Kannada romantic comedy By Two Love, with critics noting her strong screen presence.^[26] A review from Deccan Herald remarked that while she was impressive, her Kannada diction had room for improvement.^[27] She later made a special appearance in the musical number "Trademark" from the action drama James.^[28] Following the commercial visibility of her early roles, she transitioned fully into larger Telugu productions, starring alongside Ravi Teja in the action comedy Dhamaka (2022), which achieved significant commercial success at the box office.^[29]

In 2023, Sreeleela experienced fluctuating critical and commercial reception. She starred alongside Ram Pothineni in the action film Skanda, which underperformed commercially.^[30] However, her subsequent project, Bhagavanth Kesari, directed by Anil Ravipudi and co-starring Nandamuri Balakrishna, became one of the highest-grossing Telugu films of 2023. Her performance as a resilient young woman earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Telugu.^[31] Later that year, she appeared in the action comedy Aadikeshava and the romantic comedy Extra Ordinary Man, both of which encountered low box office returns.^[32][33]

In 2024, Sreeleela starred opposite Mahesh Babu in the action drama Guntur Kaaram. Neeshita Nyayapati of Hindustan Times observed that while "Sreeleela dances like a dream, her character could have had some bearing on the story."^[34] Despite the film's polarizing reception, her choreography in the song "Kurchi Madathapetti" achieved significant digital popularity.^[35] Her profile as a dancer led to a featured appearance in the musical number "Kissik" alongside Allu Arjun in Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024).^[36]

In 2025, Sreeleela reunited with Nithiin in the action comedy Robinhood, which opened to low commercial returns.^{[citation needed]} Srivathsan Nadadhur of The Hindu remarked that her role was limited to "a fashion parade."^[37] She followed this with the bilingual film Junior, where her performance was described by critics as energetic during dance sequences but emotionally detached from the central plot.^[38]