From Mahanati to Gangubai: Actresses Who Brought Real-Life Icons to Life

Biographical films are among the most demanding projects for actors because they require performers to portray real personalities with authenticity. Beyond dialogue delivery, actors often have to work on their appearance, mannerisms, walking style, body language and expressions to recreate the presence of the person they are portraying. A slight mismatch can attract criticism, while a convincing performance can become one of the highlights of a film.

One of the notable examples is Keerthy Suresh’s portrayal of legendary actress Savitri in Nag Ashwin’s Mahanati. Released in 2018, the film received widespread appreciation, while Keerthy’s performance earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress. Kangana Ranaut portrayed former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actress Jayalalithaa in Thalaivii, which explored important phases of her journey from cinema to politics. Alia Bhatt played Gangubai in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi, while Janhvi Kapoor portrayed Indian Air Force officer Gunjan Saxena in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, which premiered on Netflix in 2020.

The trend continues with Rashmika Mandanna set to portray legendary Carnatic vocalist M.S. Subbulakshmi in an upcoming pan-India project directed by Gautham Tinnanuri. The film was launched in Chennai in the presence of Kamal Haasan and other members of the film fraternity. Anirudh Ravichander is composing the music for the project.