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== External links ==
== External links ==
*[http://www.abhinethri.com/vinsavitri01.html Mahanati Savitri from the film Devadasu]
*[http://www.abhinethri.com/vinsavitri01.html Mahanati Savitri from the film Devadasu]
*[http://justtollywood.com/profiles.php?pid=00001714 Savitri] at [http://justtollywood.com JustTollywood]
*{{imdb name|0767800|name=Savitri}}
*{{imdb name|0767800|name=Savitri}}



Revision as of 14:38, 8 August 2009

Savitri
(సావిత్రి గణేష్)
(சாவித்திரி கணேஷ்)
File:Savithri.PNG
Born
Savitri
Other namesNadigayar Thilakam
SpouseGemini Ganesan

Savitri or Savitri Ganesh (Template:Lang-te) (6 December 193726 December 1981), was an Indian actress, director and producer of films in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi languages. She was known for her liveliness and captivating performance and is still treated as the benchmark for acting in Telugu movies and also called as one of the best actresses of All Time.

Early life

Savitri was born in Chirravur near Tenali in Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, India to Maddali jaganadham and Subhadramma. She learned music and Indian classical dance under Sista Purnayya Sasthri. She performed stage shows during her childhood. She acted in 318 films in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi languages, with ten to twenty movies released per year.

She later directed some films. One day she went to meet the Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and donated all her jewelry she was wearing for the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. She also built a high school in Andhra. Her favorite sports were cricket and chess. She used to play chess at home. She claimed that her favorite sports person was Gary Sobers. She participated in many celebrity cricket matches.

Career

Early career

She gave some public performances as a child in Vijayawada. She worked in a theater company run by Nandamuri Taraka Ramarao. She also started her own company, the Navabharata Natya Mandali. Her best stage role was in Atma Vanchana written by Bucchi Babu.

Telugu career

Her first offer ‘Agni Pariksha’ at age twelve in 1949. However she looked too young after screen tests and was soon dropped. She was selected for main role in the film ‘Samsaram’ by the banner ‘Sadhana Chitra’ in 1950. However she was replaced by Pushpalatha and she was given small role, as she was nervous to act with popular actor Nageswara Rao. She performed a dance in Pathala Bhairavi in 1951. Her first main roles was as a second heroine Pelli Chesi Choodu by L. V. Prasad in 1952. Her early popular roles are in Ardhangi and Missamma.

She later acted in memorable Telugu films like Chandra Haram (1953), Devadasu (1953), Ardhangi (1955), Missamma(1955), Donga Ramudu (1955), Amara Deepam (1956), Todikodallu(1957), Mayabazaar (1957), Abhimanam(1958), Mangalya Balam(1958), Appu Chesi Pappu Kodu (1959), Muripinche muvvalu(1960), Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam (1960), Manchi Manasulu(1961), Aradhana (1962), Gundamma Katha (1962), Rakta Tilakam (1963), Mooga Manasulu (1963), Doctor Chakravarthi(1964), Poojaphalam (1964), Devatha(1965), Pandava Vanavasam (1965), Kanya Sulkam, Naadi Aada Janme, Prana Mitrulu (1967), Varakatnam (1968), Maro Prapancham (1970), Manase Mandiram(1971) and Jagan Mohini (1978). These movies are testimony to her versatile action skills. She got national award for the magnum opus movie Chivarakumigiledi.

Tamil career

Savitri was a legendary actress in Telugu and tamil film industries. She has paired opposite leading actors like Sivaji Ganesan, M.G.R in many films. She married Gemini Ganesh, while acting in ‘Manam Pola Mangalyam’(1953) with him. Savithri's 100th film ‘Konjum Salangai’ (‘Muripinche Muvvalu’ in Telugu) also happened to be paired with Gemini Ganeshan. She was fondly called 'Nadigaiyar Thilagam' in tamil film industry.

Kalathur Kannamma, Kai Kodutha Deivam, Thiruvilaiyadal, Navarathiri, Pasa Malar, Yaar Paiyyan, Paarthal pasi theerum, Padithal Mattum Podhuma, Karpagam, Karnan, Paava Mannippu and Saraswathi Sabatham are some of her memorable classics in tamil.

Bollywood career

She acted in few Hindi films like Bahut Din Huwe, Ghar Basake Dekho, Balaram Sri Krishna and Ganga Ki Lahren.

Director and Producer

She had directed films like ‘Chinnari Papalu’, ‘Chiranjeevi’, ‘Maathru Devatha’ and ‘Vintha Samsaram’ in Telugu. 'Kuzhanthai Ullam' and 'Praptham' in Tamil.

Personal life

Savitri married Gemini Ganesan in 1953 and was blessed with two children Vijaya Chamundeswari and Sathish Kumar. Savitri was a strict, disciplined and compassionate mother. Since there was no availability of televisions at that time, she arranged a 16mm projector to show her films to kids. She would watch all the Hollywood movies and analyze them in an amazing manner. She loved Sophia Loren and Shirley MacLaine.

Gemini Ganesan and Savitri made a hit pair on-screen. She married Gemini Ganesan, though he was already married to Alamelu Ganesan. fondly known as Kadhal Mannan (King of Romance), Gemini Ganesan also did marry Pushpavalli Ganesan, who mothered famous actress Rekha. Being groomed in strict family, Savitri is said to have been deeply affected due to Ganesan being attached to more than one woman. The two were secretly married in 1953 and she declared it publicly a good three years after the wedding happened. Her wedding was revealed when she signed in a photo for a Lux advertisement as Savithri Ganesh.

Awards

She got National Award for Best Actress in 1960 for her performance in the movie Chivaraku Migiledi.[citation needed] The movie was the Telugu remake of Deep Jele Jai (1959), a Bengali classic starring Suchitra Sen. The movie also got remade in Hindi later in 1969 as Khamoshi with Waheeda Rehman enacting the lead role.

She was crowned with title Nadigayar Thilakam (Greatest Actress) for her fine performances in tamil.

She was awarded with the title Kalaimamani by the Tamil Nadu State Government, Nati Siromani by the Andhra Yuvathi Mandali and with an apt title as Mahanati.[citation needed]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Andarikante Monagadu
1978 Ashwathama
Vattathukkul Sathuram
1971 Vichithra Dampathyam
1970 Mathru Devatha
Maro Prapancham
Nirdoshi
Thalli Thandrulu Kausalya
1968 Bandhavyalu
1967 Prana Mithrulu
1966 Bhakta Potana Goddess Saraswathi
Manase Mandiram
Navarathri
Sri Krishna Pandaviyam Draupadi
1965 Manasulu Mamathalu
Naadi Ada Janme
Sumangali


Sarada
Thiruvilayadal Goddess Parvathi
1964 Devatha
Doctor Chakravarthy Madhavi Devi
Ganga Ki Lahren Seema Hindi
Kai Kodutha Deivam
Navarathri
Poojaphalam Seeta
Velugu Needalu Suguna
1963 Nartanasala Draupadi
Chaduvukunna Ammayilu Sujatha
Ghar Basake Dekho Hindi
Karna Bhanumathi
Mooga Manasulu Radha
Raktha Tilakam Kamala
Karpagam Amutha
1962 Atma Bandhuvu
Raktha Sambandham
Gundamma Katha Lakshmi
Aradhana Anuradha
Manchi Manasulu
Manithan Maravillai
Pavithra Prema
Siri Sampadalu Padma
1961 Kalasivunte Kaladu Sukham
Pandava Vanavasam Draupadi
Papapariharam
Pasamalar Radha
1960 Abhimanam
Chivaraku Migiledi Padma
Deepavali Satyabhama
Kalathur Kannamma Tamil
Shantinivasam
Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam Padmavathi
Vimala
1959 Nammina Bantu
1958 Appu Chesi Pappu Koodu Manjari
Intiguttu
Mangalya Balam
1957 Maya Bazaar Sasirekha
Karpurakarasi Manjula
Kutumba Gauravam
M.L.A. Nirmala
Todi Kodallu Susheela
Vinayaka Chaviti Satyabhama/Bhoodevi
1956 Amaradeepam Aruna
Bhale Ramudu
Charanadaasi Lakshmi
1955 Donga Ramudu Seeta
Kanyasulkam Madhuravani
Santanam Sarada
Ardhangi
Missamma Mary/Mahalakshmi
Vadina
1954 Parivartana Sundaramma
Chandraharam Chanchala
Bahut Din Huye Hindi
Menarikam
1953 Bratuku Theruvu Zamindar's daughter
Devadasu Parvathi
Pratigna
1952 Palletooru Suguna
Pelli Chesi Choodu Savitri
1951 Patala Bhairavi Dancer
Agni Pareeksha
1950 Samsaram

References

Template:Link FA