10 months ago

Star Actress Savitri's Tragic Life: Love, Loss, and Alcoholism

Star Actress Savitri's Tragic Life: Love, Loss, and Alcoholism
Star Telugu actress was involved in a scandalous marriage with married co-star; his infidelity broke her; she died an ‘alcoholic’ · indianexpress.com

Once, there was a super famous actress in South India named Savitri, who was loved by everyone for her amazing acting.

She started acting when she was very young and met a man named Gemini Ganesan, who also became an actor.

Savitri fell in love with him, but he was already married with children.

They kept their marriage a secret for a while, and Savitri had two children with him.

She was very successful and even owned a lot of money.

However, her career started to slow down when some of her movies didn't do well.

The biggest heartbreak came when she found out Gemini Ganesan was unfaithful to her.

This made her very sad, and she started drinking too much to cope with her troubles.

Her daughter said she didn't know how to handle her pain and lacked guidance.

Sadly, her drinking led to severe health problems, and she fell into a coma for 19 months before passing away at a young age.

Even though they had problems, her husband was sad when she died, and her daughter mentioned that Savitri had earned enough money for them to live comfortably.

Key facts

Full Name
Savitri
Also Known As
Mahanati
Husband
Gemini Ganesan (Ramasamy Ganesan)
Children
Vijaya Chamundeswari and Sathish
Death Year
1981
Death Age
47

Quotes

Vijaya

Savitri's daughter

“My dad, of course, was there throughout. He, too, went through a lot of emotional drain. Despite all the differences, he found it very difficult to see his wife going through that phase. Even after she passed away, we were not in any financial trouble. She had earned so much that in spite of whatever she had lost, there was much more for us to enjoy, contrary to what people think. We still had a great life after she passed away, all thanks to her.”
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“Once she slipped into coma, that lasted 19 months, there was no talking to her. We were certain she will come back, but it was a long wait and it ended only with her death. It was so terrible to watch her on the hospital bed.”
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Ramasamy Ganesan

A casting assistant at Gemini Studios who later became an actor.

“Looks promising if given the opportunity.”
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Pallavi

Author of "Mahanati Savitri: Vendi Tera Samragni"

“After Mayabazar, Savitri’s fame soared, and producers lined up for her. At her peak, her assets in the 1960s were reportedly worth ₹100 crore, much of it held under benami names. By the time she realised the truth, it was all gone.”
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Vijaya Chamundeswari

Savitri's daughter

“Amma did not know how to handle her troubles. She wasn’t clever 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.”
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Pasupuleti Rama Rao

Journalist

“If Madhubala and Meena Kumari were known for their beauty in Bollywood, it was Savitri here. Her drinking habit ruined her and all those who surrounded her came with vested interest. Her uncle siphoned off her remuneration and she rebelled. From a bungalow in T Nagar (in then Madras) to a tiny house in Anna Nagar, her fall was steep.”
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Rajesh

Veteran actor and close aide of Gemini Ganesan

“Savitri was in love and she knew that Gemini Ganesan was already married. She shouldn’t have loved or married him. That’s a grave mistake on her part as Gemini Ganesan’s principles in life were different.”
indianexpress.com

Sources

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