Siti Mariam binti Ismail, professionally known as Mariani, was a renowned Malaysian-Singaporean Malay actress, singer, and model who dominated the entertainment industry during the 1950s and 1960s. Born on April 20, 1933, she was the older sister of Biduanda Saloma and sister-in-law of P. Ramlee.
Mariani's illustrious career spanned an impressive 63 years, with over 30 films to her credit. She began her journey in show business after winning the Singapore Queen Contest in 1951 at the tender age of 17. However, she declined the offer to represent Singapore, opting instead to pursue a career in acting.
After being persuaded by her sister, Saloma, Mariani finally agreed to take up acting, making her film debut in Chemburu, directed by S. Ramanathan, in 1952. The success of the movie led to a string of acting opportunities, including Palace of Dreams, A Return, Labu Labi, Nasib Si Labu-Labi, and Tiga Abdul, all produced by Malay Film Productions.
Following the closure of Malay Film Productions and the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, Mariani continued her acting career at Studio Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur, starring in numerous films, including Sweet Mashed Film and Discouraged.
In her later years, Mariani continued to act, appearing in films such as Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam 2, directed by Shuhaimi Baba, in 2005. She also starred in various dramas, including Nur Qalesya, Bila Larut Malam, and others.
In 2007, Mariani co-founded a production company, Kus Semangat Sdn. Bhd., with her husband, which she owned until her passing in 2015.
Tragically, Mariani passed away on December 1, 2015, at the age of 82, after battling colon cancer at her home in Taman Kosmo Jaya, Sentul, Kuala Lumpur. Her body was sent to Al-Hidayah Mosque in Jalan Sentul and buried in Jalan Ampang Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur.
