December 6 marks the 85th birth anniversary of Mahanati Savitri. When we talk about the golden age of the South film industry, one of the actresses who truly exemplifies the elegance of that era is Mahanati Savitri. In an illustrious career of over three decades, she worked with stalwarts like Sivaji Ganesan, MGR and Gemini Ganesan in Tamil cinema, and NTR and Nageswar Rao in the Telugu film industry. She had a multifaceted personality — apart from acting, she also donned the filmmaker’s hat, produced movies and also contributed as a playback singer. Keep reading this space to know more about the prolific actress and how she faced an unfortunate ending to her life.
Savitri embarked on her journey in the film industry with the movie Samsaram, directed by LV Prasad. She didn’t get much screen time in the film, but Samsaram was a hit at the box office — which opened up a host of acting opportunities for her. She formed the most adored pair opposite yesteryear superstar Sivaji Ganesan in films like Navarathri, Pasamalar, Karnan and Thiruvilayadal. These movies are still etched in the hearts of cinema lovers. She also gained cinematic prominence with the Telugu film, Maya Bazaar. The actress left no stone unturned to get her into the skin of her characters.
Another most appreciable characteristic trait in Savitri’s personality was not confining herself to the regressive and patriarchal norms of society. She didn’t leave the film industry, even after marriage to Gemini Ganesan. She had tied the nuptial knot at the tender age of 18 but continued to act.
Despite her determination and willingness towards her career, she started facing difficulties in her personal life. There were reports that her marriage hit troubled waters after Gemini’s movies tanked at the box office. On the other hand, at that time, she was at the pinnacle of her career. Due to this, as stated in reports, there were ego clashes between the couple. They finally separated when she found that Gemini was having an illicit affair.
Unable to handle these harsh events, she turned to alcoholism and slipped into a coma for 19 months. She died on December 26, 1981, aged 44 years.
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