# Mimi Mariani

Sumiarto Suharto (born Troely Callebaut; 8 June 1928 – 1 May 1971), better known by the stage name Mimi Mariani, was an Indonesian actress, model, and singer of classical Indonesian cinema. Known as the first actress to portray the character Sri Asih, she was one of the best-known lead actresses in Indonesia in the 1950s. Mariani was ranked third on the list of the best Indonesian pasindhèn (solo singers).

## Early life

Mimi Mariani was born Troely Callebaut on 8 June 1928, in Malang, Dutch East Indies. She was of Belgian, Dutch, and Manado descent. Mariani went to MULO but later dropped out.

## Career

Mariani started her career by joining the Bintang Soerabaja troupe as a singer in 1942, and then joined the Warna Sari troupe as a singer and actress. Later, she joined the Pantja Warna troupe and established Panggung Bhakti Artis along with Netty Herawaty.
After the Indonesian National Revolution, Mariani made her film debut by starring in Inspektur Rachman (1950) and in the Indonesian-Philippines production Rodrigo de Villa (1952).

### 1953–1957: Rising star

Mariani appeared in six movies that were released in 1953. She made her feature film debut in Lenggang Djakarta and then starred in Machluk Raksasa, which was adapted from the Javanese folklore story Timun Mas. Her next movie, Belenggu Masjarakat, won the Best Cinematography award at the Indonesian Film Festival in 1955. She then starred in Pandji Semirang and Neng Yatimah, credited as Mimiaty, and made an uncredited role in Kassan.
Mariani starred in Sri Asih (1954), the first Indonesian superhero film which was adapted from the comic with the same name by R. A. Kosasih. This film was directed by Tan Sing Hwat and Turino Djunaedy, who later became her second husband. She then starred in Debu Revolusi (1954) and portrayed a woman who becomes part of a love triangle with a soldier and a bandit. She also starred in Rahasia Sukudomas (1954), the first Indonesian film where all the actors were women, and later starred in Putri Gunung (1954) and Djubah Hitam (1954). Several film studios then started to employ Mariani, which made her the highest-grossing movie star in 1954. She was then cast in Oh, Ibuku (1955) and Ibu dan Putri (1955), two of three movies from Gadis Tiga Djaman series made by Ali Joego.
In 1956, Mariani appeared in two films: Sri Kustina and Melati Sendja. Her last leading role was in Usmar Ismail's directed comedy Delapan Pendjuru Angin (1957), one of three commercial films produced by Perfini.

### 1958–1968: Career decline and later years

After an Indonesia film industry crisis and her divorce from Turino Djunaedy in 1958, Mariani took a hiatus from film. On 3 January 1958, she appeared in Juliam Bros's directed broadway Because of Dance at the Jakarta Art Building along with Wahid Chan, where she portrayed a middle school girl who falls in love with a dancer.
Mariani was relegated to supporting roles after she returned to the industry, as she was no longer considered suitable for leading parts. Mariani later returned to cinema by starring in Nina (1960), playing the protagonist's mother. She then starred in Lima Puluh Megaton (1961), co-starring A. Hamid Arief. She later starred in Si Kembar (1961) as a pasindhèn, along with Titim Fatimah. The film was a box office success and listed Mariani as one of the best Indonesian pasindhèn, after Fatimah and Sarimanah. Her two last film credits were a supporting role in Cheque AA (1966) and B-29 (1968), which was released a year before she was diagnosed with lymphoma.

## Personal life
### Marriages, relationships, and children

Mariani first marriage was to Roda, a drummer from the Philippines. They had a son, but later divorced. In 1954, she began a relationship with actor Turino Djunaedy; they often went to parties and were seen dancing together. They were rumoured to have married in November 1954, but later denied it and said that they were just colleagues who coincidentally had the same birthday. After starring together in Sri Asih (1954), Mariani and Turino Djunaedy married in 1955, but divorced in 1958 due to an Indonesian film industry crisis. Mariani's third marriage was to Mikel, which also ended in divorce. Her last marriage was to Semiarto Suharto, the son of physician Soeharto Sastrosoeyoso and the owner of Titi Murni Pharmacy, in 1961, with whom she had three children. Their marriage lasted until Mariani's death in 1971.

### Illness and death

In 1969, Mariani was diagnosed with lymphoma and underwent surgery twice. As the cancer had spread to her spleen, she was unable to undergo a third operation.
Mariani was confined to bed rest for five months at her residence in Kebon Kelapa, Jakarta. She slipped into a coma on 24 April 1971 and died a week later on 1 May, at the age of 42, and was buried on 2 May at Karet Bivak Cemetery. Among the mourners were Fifi Young, Sofia W.D., Aminah Banowati, W.D. Mochtar, and S. Poniman.

## Reception

In 1954, Film Varia magazine stated that Mariani was one of the favorite movie stars of their readers.

## Legacy

In Sri Asih (2022), Mariani's stage name was used as the name for Eyang Mariani's character portrayed by Christine Hakim. Her role as the first Sri Asih was remade and portrayed by Najwa Shihab.

## Filmography

In her 26-year career, Mariani appeared in 23 films:
* Inspektur Rachman (1950)
* Rodrigo de Villa (1952)
* Machluk Raksasa (1953)
* Lenggang Djakarta (1953)
* Belenggu Masjarakat (1953)
* Pandji Semirang (1953)
* Neng Yatimah (1953)
* Kassan (1953)
* Sri Asih (1954)
* Rahasia Sukudomas (1954)
* Putri Gunung (1954)
* Djubah Hitam (1954)
* Debu Revolusi (1954)
* Oh, Ibuku (1955)
* Ibu dan Putri (1955)
* Sri Kustina (1956)
* Melati Sendja (1956)
* Delapan Pendjuru Angin (1957)
* Nina (1960)
* Si Kembar (1961)
* Limapuluh Megaton (1961)
* Cheque AA (1966)
* B-29 (1968)