Top Ten Movies of Savithri

Keerthy Suresh has rocked as legendary actress Savithri in 'Nadigaiyar Thilagam' bringing her back to life on the silver screen. This is a great opportunity for us to take a look at the Top Ten Films of Savithri who has inspired many generations of actresses in South Indian cinema.

1) Kaathirundha Kangal

Savithri plays dual roles as twin sisters one rich and outspoken and the other a typical innocent villager. As fate would have it the village girl gets married to the hero Gemini Ganesan who is actually the lover of her sister. This film is a masterclass by Savithri giving so much variety and individuality to both characters. The songs "Valarntha Kalai maranthu vittai" and "Odam Nathiyile" have become immortal.

2) Paasamalar

Close to sixty years since the release of this movie it is still referenced to any brother and sister who adore each other as 'Pasamalar'. Sivaji and Savithri immortalized the roles of siblings who love each other and even death cannot separate them. The songs "Malarnthum Malaratha" and "Malargalai Pol Thangai" will tug at the heart strings even today.

3) Navarathri

In this ambitious film Sivaji Ganesan played nine different roles and Savithri matched them all as the young girl who goes out in search of her missing lover and meets these interesting people. Apart from looking very pretty in every frame Savithri gets to masquerade as a mentally ill person with one of the Sivaji's who plays a doctor to hilarious results. She also disguises as a man and also a street dancer which are both highly entertaining sequences.

4) Devadas

The classic love story had ANR and Savithri as Devadas and Parvathi and the leading lady gave a sterling performance as the chirpy young girl in love and later the suffering wife of an old man who pines for her lover. The film was Savithri's first taste of success which made her an household name.

5) Missiamma

Savithri's flair for comedy came to the fore in 'Missiamma' in which she started opposite Gemini Ganesan whom she secretly married before the shoot began and some historians maintain that as a reason for the solid chemistry between the pair in the film.

6) Mahadevi

One of Savithri's most successful films with MGR this Kannadasan written movie had her in the role of a princess who has to ward off the advances of a commander in order to lead a happy life with her prince charming. Savithri's gait and her dialogue delivery were much lauded during those time on par with MGR and PS Veerappa who played the baddie.

7) Mayabazaar

Once again Savithri got a meaty role in this 'Baahubali' of the 1950s in which she played a cute princess in love with the hero as well as the female version of Gatodhgaja (S.V. Ranga Rao) the rakshasha who poses as her bringing down the house.

8) Thiruvilaiyadal

Nadigaiyar Thilagam Savithri played the Parvathi to match Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan's 'Sivan and what a picture they made as the two gods. The film is episodic showing Shiva and Parvathi in various avatars which are all treats for film lovers especially the one where Savithri is born as a fisher woman and Sivaji comes for her.

9) Kai Kodutha Deivam

"Aayirtathil Oruthiyamma nee" is what Sivaji sings to Savithri in this film and what a truth that is as no one could and has even now matched this role as an innocent girl who moves with everyone in the same manner and is mistook as a flirt.

10) Kalathoor Kannamma

This debut film of Kamal Haasan as a child artiste had Savithri portraying the difficult role of a woman who has to hide the fact that she is married and also has to separate from her child all because of a promise she made to the zamindar to whom she is indebted to. A truly class act which remains awe inspiring to this day.

Keerthy Suresh has rocked as legendary actress Savithri in 'Nadigaiyar Thilagam' bringing her back to life on the silver screen.