“MS Subbulakshmi was an iconic woman and a pan-India superstar who united India through her music,” veteran actor Kamal Haasan said at the launch of a biopic on the legendary Carnatic vocalist in Chennai on Wednesday. The film was launched at the Music Academy on the occasion of M.S. Subbulakshmi’s 110th birth anniversary.
Kamal Haasan said M.S. Subbulakshmi had sung in several languages and maintained perfect pronunciation in all of them. Recalling his association with the legendary singer, he said he had wanted her to sing ‘Vaishnav Janato’ for his film Hey Ram, but she was unwell at the time. He said he felt blessed to have been in close proximity to stalwarts such as M.S. Subbulakshmi, D.K. Pattammal and M.L. Vasanthakumari.
Rashmika Mandanna will portray M.S. Subbulakshmi in the biopic, which will be directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri. Anirudh Ravichander will compose the music. Rashmika described the project as a celebration of the singer’s life and said she was grateful for the opportunity to portray the legendary artiste.
Gowtam said the team had been working on the project for nearly a year and wanted to explore the human side of M.S. Subbulakshmi’s life beyond her widely known musical achievements. He said her greatness was built on sheer discipline and that her journey carried an important message for a younger generation accustomed to measuring success through likes and shares.
The event also featured a live performance of M.S. Subbulakshmi’s songs by The Indian Choral Ensemble. Veteran actor Sivakumar, who attended the launch, said there could not be another artiste like her and expressed his excitement at seeing her remarkable journey brought to the big screen. The film will be produced by Allu Aravind, Rockline Venkatesh and Bunny Vasu under Geetha Arts, Rockline Entertainment and Bunny Vas Works.