Farida Arriany was born Frieda Thenu on 24 November 1938 in Bandung, West Java.

[3][2] She was married to Sri Budoyo, an entrepreneur who was the president of PR Nusan Tour Data Development Corp and PT Nusan Data Investmen Corp.[4] They had four children: Ary Dewanti, Sri Resphaty, Trisno Subroto, and Ario Sutejo.

[2] She made her feature film debut in 1955, taking the role of Sari in Golden Arrow's Kasih Ibu (A Mother's Love).

[1][5] She was credited as Frieda Shagniarty in this film, only taking the stage name Farida Arriany some time later.

Over the next eight years she took numerous supporting roles, including in Lewat Tengah Malam (After Midnight, 1971), Salah Asuhan (Wrong Upbringing, 1972), and Menanti Kelahiran (Awaiting Birth, 1977).