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Meet late actor who was once highest-paid actress, got into troubled marriage and witnessed downfall due to alcoholic life
Meet the popular actress from the yesteryears who went from being one of the highest-paid actors of that time to being an alcoholic.
Trigger Warning: This article contains information about death and alcoholism.
We have often heard stories of actors who have come from literally nothing but went on to achieve massive success in life. Success stories about Rajinikanth, Vijay Sethupathi, and others have always been in the limelight. But have you ever heard about a renowned South Indian actress of yesteryears who went from rich to poor?
Remember the famous biographical film helmed by Nag Ashwin, Mahanati? In this article, we will be discussing the real-life actress, played by Keerthy Suresh. Yes, you got that right; it is none other than Savitri.
The gorgeous Savitri has made a lasting impression in South Indian cinema, and her legacy shall live forever. Let’s delve into some unknown facts about her life.
Who was Savitri?
Born on December 6, 1934, Savitri was an Indian Indian actress, singer, and filmmaker known for her works primarily in Telugu and Tamil films. She was known as Nadigaiyar Thilagam (Doyen of all the actresses) & Mahanati (The great actress).
Not only that, Savitri was also one of the highest-paid and most popular Indian actresses in the 1950s and '60s. The Pelli Chesi Choodu actress has appeared in more than 250 films and had a long career spanning three decades.
Her other notable works include Devadasu (1953), Donga Ramudu (1955), Mayabazar (1957), and Nartanasala (1963), featured at the Afro-Asian Film Festival in Jakarta. She also starred in works such as Missamma (1955), Ardhangi (1955), Thodi Kodallu (1957), Mangalya Balam (1959), Aradhana (1962), Gundamma Katha (1962), Doctor Chakravarty (1964), Sumangali (1965), and Devata (1965).
Besides her films, Savitri was also known for her kindness, charity, and generosity towards the poor. She received ‘A Moon Among Stars’ honor at the 30th International Film Festival of India, ‘Woman in Cinema’ section in 1999.
Savitri’s marriage and kids
She met Ramaswamy Ganesan, also known as Gemini Ganesan, in 1948. The duo got married in 1952. Their marriage led to a permanent rift between Savitri and her uncle because Ganesan was already married and was even involved in an affair with Pushpavalli. For the unversed, actress Rekha is one of the daughters of Pushpavalli and Ganeshan.
In 2012, when asked what Rekha remembers of her father Gemini, she said, “I was a baby when he moved out of our lives. I don’t even remember the time when he was at home.” She further said, "A couple of times, he came to drop other kids, so that was my first impression of him. I was like, ‘Oh, this is appa..’ But I never had a chance to meet him. I don’t think even he noticed me there. He never saw me.” Even when Gemini Ganesan died, Rekha refused to grieve for him.
Savitri and Gemini Ganesan's wedding was the most talked-about event of the decade. Their marriage gained public attention after she signed as Savitri Ganesh.
Ganesan acknowledged later that he had two daughters with Pushpavalli while being married to Savitri, with whom he had a daughter and a son.
Savitri’s troubled life made her an alcoholic
There came a time when Gemini Ganesan's films struggled to impress while Savitri's career was at its peak. This might have led to ego clashes between the two.
Savitri’s success, however, did not last long. The movies she had directed and produced tanked at the box office, her finances weakened, and that's when her trouble began.
Failing to deal with the stress, Savitri moved to alcohol to calm herself. Little did she know then that her life would completely change because of alcoholism. As per a report in India Today, Savitri’s daughter Vijaya Chamundeswari said that her mother was not clever enough to
deal with the situation. “She was innocent, and it affected her very badly. Also, she never had any proper guidance; that's why she became an alcoholic,” she said.
Savitri’s death
On December 16, 1981, Savitri passed away at the age of 47. She was in a coma for 19 months. The actress had developed diabetes and high blood pressure.
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