MS Subbulakshmi, the legendary Carnatic singer, passed away in 2004. Her biopic film has been long overdue. A big producer is said to be intent on mounting the biographical musical drama in multiple languages as a tribute to the Bharat Ratna recipient.
The media has started indulging in speculations. And the names being ferreted out are comical and random. It has been a freefall, with names as contrasting as Trisha Krishnan and Rashmika Mandanna, Keerthy Suresh and probably Alia Bhatt being mentioned in gossip columns. Some believe that the 'Mahanati' actress is the frontrunner. So far, nobody has a clue.
The singer's mother, who hailed from the devadasi community, was a stage performer. "Subbulakshmi grew up in an environment very conducive to musical learning," those in the know say in books. The biopic will have to be made authentically instead of pandering to star prowess. Unfortunately, in India, prestigious biopics are desired to be big-ticket casting extravangazas. Such an approach rarely works when the personality in question is someone as unique as MS Subbulakshmi.
