Savitri birth anniversary special: Unmissable Tamil movies of the actor
What's the story
It's the birth anniversary of the late actor "Nadigayar Thilagam" Savitri. Born in 1936, the actor starred in movies in all South Indian languages and shared the screen space with almost all of the top male actors of her time, including MG Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, and Gemini Ganesan. On her birth anniversary, here are her five unmissable Tamil movies.
#1
'Mayabazar'
Mayabazar (1957) was based on a story from Mahabharata. The film follows the efforts of Lord Krishna to unite Arjuna's son Abhimanyu with his lover Vatsala (played by Savitri). The film also features an ensemble of stars such as NT Rama Rao, SV Ranga Rao, Gemini Ganesan, and MN Nambiar. Touted to be one of the costliest movies then, the film was a blockbuster.
#2
'Kalathur Kannamma'
Kalathur Kannamma (1960) revolves around a young couple, played by Savitri and Gemini Ganesan. They get separated after their parents disapprove of their relationship due to their class difference. Their child Selvam (Kamal Haasan), who grows up in an orphanage, discovers their love and tries to reunite them. Haasan won his first National Award for his performance in the movie.
#3
'Pasamalar'
If one were to describe the love between brother and sister in Tamil Nadu, they still refer to Pasamalar, which was released in 1961. The film stars Savitri alongside Sivaji Ganesan and Gemini Ganesan. While the former plays her brother, the latter plays her husband in it. The film also won a National Award and went on to be remade in several languages.
#4
'Paava Mannippu'
Paava Mannippu (1961) starring the successful trio Savitri, Sivaji Ganesan, and Gemini Ganesan along with MR Radha and Devika, revolves around four children, who, as kids are separated from their parents. They are adopted by people from different religions. How they reunite in the end makes up for the rest of the story. This film also bagged a National Award.
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#5 'Navarathri'
Cited as one of Savitri's finest performances, Navarathri (1964) has the actor playing the lead role. It was one of the very few movies of that time to have a female protagonist even though Sivaji Ganesan played the male lead.