Mumbai: National Award-winning filmmaker Nag Ashwin has revealed that Keerthy Suresh was always his first and only choice to portray legendary actress Savitri in the critically acclaimed biographical drama Mahanati. The director said Keerthy’s ability to convincingly portray the actress from her teenage years to adulthood made her uniquely suited for the demanding role.
Released in 2018, Mahanati went on to become one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated biographical films, with Keerthy’s performance earning her the National Film Award for Best Actress.
‘She had to portray a 14-year-old convincingly’
Reflecting on the casting process, Nag Ashwin said the film required an actress who could seamlessly depict Savitri through different stages of her life.
“We introduced Savitri at the age of six, and Keerthy played her from fourteen until the end. That was another major reason Keerthy became our only choice. She had to convincingly portray even a 14-year-old,” he said.
According to the filmmaker, finding someone capable of portraying both youthful innocence and emotional maturity was one of the biggest challenges during pre-production.
‘Thodari convinced me’
Nag Ashwin credited Keerthy’s performance in the Tamil film Thodari for convincing him that she was the ideal choice.
“I keep referring to the film Thodari because that’s where I saw the fourteen-year-old Savitri. She looked very innocent—wearing a langa jacket, with no make-up. There were very few people whom I felt could look like that and pull it off,” he explained.
The director added that while Keerthy naturally embodied the innocence required for Savitri’s younger years, she also possessed the emotional range needed to portray the actress through the later stages of her life until the age of 46.
A career-defining performance
Keerthy Suresh’s portrayal of Savitri received widespread praise from audiences and critics upon the film’s release.
Her performance earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress and established Mahanati as one of the most acclaimed biographical films in recent Indian cinema.
The film also strengthened the successful collaboration between Nag Ashwin and Keerthy Suresh, becoming a landmark project in both their careers.
Busy slate ahead
Following the success of Mahanati, Keerthy Suresh has continued to take on diverse roles across multiple film industries.
She is next set to appear in Sathyavan Savithiri, Raftaar, Akka, Rowdy Janardhana, and an upcoming project alongside Venkatesh Daggubati, among other films.
Nag Ashwin’s remarks offer fresh insight into the casting process behind Mahanati, highlighting why he believed Keerthy Suresh alone possessed the versatility needed to bring the life of one of Indian cinema’s greatest legends to the screen.