Sriranjani (actress)

Mangalagiri Sriranjani, better known as Sriranjani senior (Telugu: శ్రీరంజని) (1906–1939), was a Telugu theatre and film actress and singer. She is the elder sister of actress Sriranjani (junior) and mother of director M. Mallikharjuna Rao.

She was born in Murikipudi in Narasaraopet Taluk Andhra Pradesh in 1906. She was a major singing star in the 1930s. She became famous for her record albums and audio releases of plays by the Gramophone Company of India. She was a stage actress in Krishna Vilasa Nataka Samajam that produced mythological plays. She is known for her portrayal of male roles, e.g. Krishna, Abhimanyu, Satyavan.

She made her début in Telugu cinema in 1934 with Lava Kusha (1934) directed by C. Pullayya. She then appeared in Shri Krishna Leelalu (1935) and Mayabazaar (1936). She died four years later in 1939 from cancer at the young age of 34. She had acted in only eight films.

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