# Savitri (actress)

Nissankara Savitri (also known as Savitri Ganesan; 6 December 1934 – 26 December 1981) was an Indian actress and filmmaker who predominantly worked in Telugu and Tamil films. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, she was popularly known by the epithets Mahanati (transl. The great actress) in Telugu, and Nadigaiyar Thilagam (transl. The pride of all actresses) in Tamil. Savitri was among the highest-paid in South Indian cinema during the 1950s and 1960s and is often considered the "Queen of Telugu cinema".
In a career spanning three decades, Savitri appeared in more than 250 films. Her first significant role was in the 1952 film Pelli Chesi Choodu. Later, she starred in several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, including Devadasu (1953), Missamma (1955), Ardhangi (1955), Donga Ramudu (1955), Thodi Kodallu (1957), Mayabazar (1957), Mangalya Balam (1959), Aradhana (1962), Gundamma Katha (1962), Nartanasala (1963), Doctor Chakravarty (1964), Sumangali (1965), and Devata (1965).
Savitri was also known for her philanthropic work and generosity towards the poor. In recognition of her contributions to Indian cinema, she received the "A Moon Among Stars" honor at the 30th International Film Festival of India in 1999. Her life and career were later depicted in the biographical film Mahanati (2018), which won the "Equality in Cinema Award" at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.

## Early life

Savitri was born on 6 December 1934 in a Telugu family in Chirravuru, Guntur district of present-day Andhra Pradesh. Her parents were Nissankara Subhadramma and Guravayya and both of them belonged to Kapu caste. Her father died when she was six months old, after which her mother took Savitri and an older sibling Maruti, to live with an aunt and uncle. Her uncle, Kommareddy Venkataramaiah enrolled her in classes when she began to show a talent for dance.
She was named for the expression of her eyes during dramas. She participated in many dramas, in one where she was rewarded with a garland by the famous actor Prithviraj Kapoor. She, along with her uncle, went to the Vijaya Vauhini studio in Madras to enroll Savitri as a character in a movie, though they refused to do so. Not giving up, they tried once again, in another cinema, where she managed to get a role, but could not stand it as she hesitated in reciting dialogues because she was in awe when talking to the hero.
It was then that she met Ramaswamy Ganesan, also known as Gemini Ganesan, who took pictures of Savitri and instructed the duo that they come after two months. Defeated, Savitri went back to her village and continued playing dramas. On one specific day a man came to their home and asked Savitri to play a role for his cinema. Savitri's career thus began. Savitri married Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan in 1952, having first met him in 1948. The marriage led to a permanent rift with her uncle because Ganesan was already married, had four daughters, and was involved in an affair with Pushpavalli. Her marriage became public when she signed a photograph as Savitri Ganesh. Ganesan admitted that while married to his wife Savitri, with whom he had a daughter and a son, he also had two daughters with Pushpavalli.

## Career

Savitri acted in dance dramas as a child, including some work with a theatre company run by Jaggayya. She made an unsuccessful speculative trip to find film work in Madras at the age of 14 when she was deemed to be too young to play heroine roles, but in 1950 was cast as the female lead in Samsaram (1950). That role did not become actuality because she became too excited, necessitating numerous retakes and eventually her replacement in the part. She was given a minor speaking role in the film and in the next year had two more minor roles, in Roopavati and Pathala Bhairavi (both in 1951), before getting her big break as the second heroine in Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952). She, later on, was propelled to stardom with critically acclaimed roles in blockbusters such as Devadasu (1953), and Missamma (1955).
Director P. Chandrasekhara Reddy who directed Savitri says, "there is none who can equal her beauty and talent. She didn't heed anyone's advice and got married very early. I remember she was so addicted to drinking even on the sets; she threw up on my shirt during a shoot. The next day she got a brand new shirt for me. She was a generous woman." Savitri also worked in Bollywood films, although she did not find much success. She also acted in three Malayalam films notably Chuzhi (1973).
Her performance in the 1957 film Mayabazar skyrocketed her to stardom. She later went on to become the highest-paid and most sought-after South-Indian actress of her generation. Savitri was known for her hospitality, philanthropic gestures, and love of buying property and jewelry, but she kept little control of her spending. Ganesan continued to philander and she was susceptible to favoring hangers-on with her largesse. In 1960, she received special mention from Rashtrapathi for her performance in the Telugu film Chivaraku Migiledi. In 1963, she starred in Nartanasala (1963), featured at the Afro-Asian Film Festival in Jakarta. In 1968, she produced and directed the Telugu film Chinnari Papalu, for which she received the state Nandi Award for Best Feature Film(Silver). Her career took a downturn in the late 1960s. Her properties were seized by tax officials in the 1970s and she turned to act in any film in her later years, while sycophants encouraged her to direct and produce films that were unsuccessful and financially draining. Among her few supporters during her financial troubles were Dasari Narayana Rao, who cast her in most of his films, such as Gorintaku (1979), and specifically made Devadasu Malli Puttadu (1978) as a movie for her.
Savitri was also one of the top Tamil actresses of her era. She acted with major stalwarts, such as M.G.R, Sivaji Ganesan and mostly with her husband Gemini Ganesan. Her notable Tamil works include Kalathur Kannamma (1959), Pasamalar (1961), Pava Mannippu (1961), Paarthal Pasi Theerum (1962), Karpagam (1963), Karnan (1963), Kai Koduttha Dheivam, Navarathri (1964), and Thiruvilaiyadal (1965).
In 1958 Savitri was booked by M. G. Ramachandran for his second directorial venture Ponniyin Selvan. One of the first screen adaptations of Kalki Krishnamurthy's Ponniyin Selvan, the film had a huge ensemble cast consisting of Vyjayanthimala, Padmini, Gemini Ganesan, Saroja Devi, M. N. Rajam and Nagesh. In the film, she was given the role of Poonguzhali and the wife of Senthan Amuthan. However, in mid-1958 the film was shelved for unknown reasons.

## Personal life

Savitri married Tamil actor Gemini Ganesan in 1952, having first met him in 1948. The marriage led to a permanent rift with her uncle because Ganesan was already married, had four daughters, and was involved in an affair with Pushpavalli. Her marriage became public when she signed a photograph as Savitri Ganesh. Ganesan admitted that while married to his wife Savitri, with whom he had a daughter and a son, he also had two daughters with Pushpavalli. Savitri and Ganesan separated in 1981. The couple had a daughter, Vijaya Chamundeswari, and Ganesan's only son, Satheesh Kumar. Chamundeswari has a son Abhinay Vaddi, who acted in Ramanujan (2014), and is therefore her grandson.

## Death

Savitri died on 26 December 1981, at the age of 47, after being in a coma for 19 months. She had developed diabetes and high blood pressure.

## Legacy

Rishika Sadam of The Print noted, "Savitri is fondly remembered as a stubborn, determined, could effortlessly get under the skin of any role, chirpy, and a renowned philanthropist." She added, "At a time when scripts, shoots were planned keeping only the male stars in mind, Savitri’s performances, her expressions, and her beauty forced writers and directors to think otherwise. She rose to become an ‘evergreen’ star in male-dominated entertainment industry."
In 2011, the Government of India issued a postage stamp bearing Savitri's face, in her commemoration.

## In popular culture

* In 2018, Savitri's biopic, titled Mahanati, with actress Keerthy Suresh as Savitri was released to critical acclaim and commercial success.
* In the 2019, N.T.R.'s biopic NTR: Kathanayakudu, had actress Nithya Menen portraying Savitri onscreen.