The legendary Savitri’s biopic Mahanati just got bigger. While the ensemble cast of the film has names like Samantha, Keerthi Suresh, Dulquer Salmaan and Vijay Deverakonda, the latest addition is actress Anushka. What’s more, the versatile actress will step into the shoes of Bhanumathi, hailed as the first woman superstar of Telugu cinema.
“Bhanumathi was a contemporary of Savitri and is known to have been quite competitive. Bhanumathi famously spoke about how Savitri became popular only by taking up films rejected by her. The role requires a mature performer who can carry off the veteran’s egoistic attitude, which was her famous character trait,” shares a source in the know.
Bhanumathi, a Padma Bhushan awardee, was known for her versatility and strong personality both on and off screen. Her pompous attitude is still spoken about even years past her glory days. It is said that her attitude was one of the reasons for Savitri’s phenomenal growth curve. Many films that were initially offered to or written with her in mind were eventually offered to her colleague Savitri, who is today hailed as a legend in her own right.
