Note: Spoilers all over. So read this review only if you have seen this movie and please see this movie.
I still remember the day when I first saw the "Gorinta poochindhi" song from Gorintaku and was shocked to see Savitri, sorry Savitri "garu" like that. That was my first encounter with the downfall of Savitri garu. Before that I always felt that she might have passed away during black and white days. (Remember while growing up in 90s we did not have Google or Wikipedia or gossip spreading youtube channels). So when I saw that song shoot in Mahanati, I was moved to tears right away.
When I sat down to write the review, I realized I do not have any "Arhatha" to review this movie but instead I will list down the things that moved me. Before Swapna Dutt started making movies, she had produced a show with Jayaprada where movie celebrities were interviewed. In one of those interviews, Kamal Hassan revealed about the tragic story of Savitri Amma. That was the first time I was moved hearing about Savitri garu.
And years later, the same Swapna co-produced this movie Mahanati to bring us the story of great Savitri amma. The very thought of this movie, moved me. Even before watching this, I knew I would like it. The movie has a backing very few movies have. This is a story we identify with. It feels like a biopic of someone who is very close to our hearts and that is the first win for the makers of Mahanati. So when the movie started with the scene of Savitri amma being left on a stretcher in the corridors of a hospital. I was moved initially. Then I felt frustrated and then I questioned the very meanings of fame, goodwill and karma. Then I realized that this is the story that will debunk all those insignificant words.
When some unit members in her shoot were served bad food, Savitri amma arranges good food for all of them. I knew the scene that was going to come in the second half to show the contrast with this scene and I was immediately moved to tears. Then the scene comes in the second half where SV Ranga Rao garu played very dignifiedly by Mohan Babu garu arranges food for her. I am choking up tears now just by thinking of that scene.
When Savitri amma asks her mom "Naa pillalaki kooda nenu akkarledha". That is the moment I felt the guilt for being a part of the same society she suffered in. She did not deserve all this. The scene where she confronts Gemini Ganesan in the guest house, I am sure Gemini would have coughed up in his grave owing to the collective hatred audience sent his way.
The scene where she sells her saree is another example of her greatness and never giving up kindness. Savitri Amma, we are all sorry as a society. Charity and Goodwill is just a one way road and Karma is a big myth. Your story is a mirror to that belief.
Few things I would like to mention about the movie are the way Savitri amma's yearning for a fatherly figure is shown and her attempts to fill it first with her Pedhananna and later with Gemini, both failures, were shown. That was a beautiful justice done to her story. It totally justified her self-destruction mission in second half. Sai Madhav's dialogues are a huge plus. Cinematography by Dani is the life for this movie. BGM by Mickey is apt. And Keerthy Suresh, sorry Keerthy Suresh garu, take a bow.
Thank you Naga Ashwin, Sai Madhav, Swapna Dutt, Priyanka Dutt, Samantha, Vijay, Dulquer, Rajendra Prasad, Naresh, Mohan Babu, Bhanu Priya, Divya Vani, Shalini and Keerthy Suresh "garu".
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