Mahanati - Movie Based on Savitri's Life

Savitri was a big heroine of Telugu and Tamil films, from a time when Telugu films were entirely shot in Madras. She acted with NTR, ANR, Sivaji Ganesan, and other big heroes, one of whom she also married-Gemini Ganesan, also the father of Rekha through another relationship.

Mahanati is a well-made film, sympathetic to the life and times of Savitri, who came up solely based on her talent, and made a name and lots of money. Her meteoric rise was partly due to her being spotted by Gemini Ganesan, then a production executive at Gemini studios. They married, and then, the story took a turn like Abhimaan (the Hindi film), with her becoming more successful. He could not handle it, and they grew apart, never to reunite.

She was a good soul, and helped everyone she could. Was taken advantage of financially, and died of a drink-induced diabetic coma-probably suicidal, after income tax raids made her penniless. Tragic story, involving many big names of that time, and glimpses of scenes from Maya Bazaar (Mohan Babu plays the SV Ranga Rao part), and a couple of other classics.

Keerthy Suresh and Dulquer Salman play the main roles well. Also, the kid who plays her childhood part. Her uncle played by Rajendra Prasad is also good. A bit long, but worth a watch for many reasons-history of cinema, for one.

Bollywood Nation- Book Review

Vamsee Juluri, the author, is a prof. at an American University, and cannot therefore be taken lightly! He does not disappoint, in this take on Bollywood and the role it plays in the life of an average Indian. I have always been a watcher of Hindi (and some Telugu and Marathi) films, and I could relate to what he was talking about in the whole book. Some of my favourite films figure in his discussions, including the Telugu film Maya Bazaar, which I loved as a child, mainly for the role played by Ghatotkacha in the movie.

This is a serious look at Bollywood from Dadasaheb Phalke's times to the fairly recent films. The analysis of an alternative reality that seems to exist in Indian films (mainstream) is done well, and the relationship between Gods and us mortals in the context of film portrayals also seems plausible.

His argument that films as made here uphold some things that we still hold dear in spite of modern life- feelings, relationships, and morality (the good and the ethical), is one I would like to believe. I sincerely hope that is the case.

A good read if life, and Bollywood portrayals of it, interest you in any way at all.