4 min readKochiUpdated: May 18, 2026 02:04 PM IST
Social media has been abuzz for the past few days with rumours that renowned South Indian actor Sreeleela, predominantly known for her work in Telugu cinema, is dating up-and-coming Indian cricketer Tilak Varma. While such speculations usually arise after two celebrities are spotted together in public or based on the social media activity of either of them or their close ones, the Sreeleela-Tilak Varma tale has largely been speculative, with a section of netizens connecting dots from far apart.
Nonetheless, the rumours quickly gained momentum and became a hot topic on social media. However, a new report has emerged, categorically denying any connection between the two celebrities and even asserting that they haven’t met in real life, thus far.
‘Rumours are baseless and untrue’
“The rumours surrounding Tilak Varma and Sreeleela are completely baseless and untrue. The two have never even met or spoken to each other. There is absolutely no truth to these speculations, and such fabricated stories should not be circulated without any factual basis,” News18 quoted a source close to the actor as saying. What adds weight to this comment is that the two have never been spotted together until now.
How did rumours about Sreeleela, Tilak Varma dating start?
Interestingly, the speculation that Sreeleela and Tilak Varma are dating sprang up out of the blue after the actor’s mother, Dr Swarnalatha, was reportedly spotted during a recent Indian Premier League (IPL) match between the Mumbai Indians and the Punjab Kings at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh. Although she wasn’t seen interacting with any players, many began assuming that Sreeleela was involved with one of the Mumbai Indians stars.
Meanwhile, claims surfaced that Sreeleela herself had attended a cricket match, during which a member of her team was reportedly seen wearing a jersey bearing Tilak’s name. For the unversed, Tilak Varma has been playing for the Mumbai Indians since 2022. Meanwhile, some netizens also noted that their social media activity pointed to the same, and some even claimed that they may have unfollowed each other due to all the rumours.
Suryakumar Yadav’s viral video
Amid all this, a clip showing his teammate Suryakumar Yadav playfully mocking Tilak Varma went viral on social media. The video featured Tilak walking through a hotel lobby with his earphones on, unbothered by what was happening around him. Upon noticing this, Suryakumar was heard teasing him about being “in love,” adding fuel to the rumours of the two celebrities’ link-up.
However, neither Sreeleela nor Tilak Varma has addressed the speculations yet. While one section of social media has been pushing the Sreeleela-Tilak Varma tale, others have been rejecting such claims as far-fetched. “With that logic, Pratibha Ranta attended the MI vs PBKS match. So she is dating Shreyas Iyer? Kuch bhi! Anyone can come to watch the match. Sonal Chauhan also used to come, and people were linking her with him as well,” one user pointed out on Reddit.
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About Sreeleela
Born on June 14, 2001, to a Telugu family settled in Detroit, Michigan, Sreeleela was brought up in Bengaluru. She made her acting debut as a child artiste in the Anjali-starrer Chitrangada (2017). She then returned as a leading lady in the Kannada movie Kiss (2019), starring opposite Viraat. Since then, she has played key roles in movies such as Pelli SandaD (2021), Dhamaka (2022), Bhagavanth Kesari (2023), Guntur Kaaram (2024), Junior (2025), Mass Jathara (2025), and Parasakthi (2026). Sreeleela is also an MBBS graduate.
About Tilak Varma
A left-handed batsman and a right-arm offbreak bowler, Tilak Varma was born on November 8, 2002, in Hyderabad. While he made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut against the West Indies in August 2023, his ODI debut was against Bangladesh in September of the same year. According to ESPN, a couple of hand injuries in 2024 briefly put his career on hold.
Disclaimer: This article covers fast-moving entertainment news based on viral internet discussions and social media trends. The rumours regarding a relationship between Sreeleela and Tilak Varma originated on public forums and have not been independently verified. Readers should treat these claims as informational and speculative storytelling rather than confirmed factual events.
