M.S. Subbulakshmi Biopic Launched by Kamal Haasan

The biopic on legendary Carnatic vocalist and Bharat Ratna awardee M.S. Subbulakshmi has been formally launched in Chennai. Directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, the film stars Rashmika Mandanna as M.S. Subbulakshmi. Titled ‘M.S. – A Legacy On Screen’, the project was launched to mark the legendary singer’s 110th birth anniversary. Kamal Haasan gave the first clap for the muhurat shot. Anirudh Ravichander will compose the music, while Allu Aravind, Rockline Venkatesh and Bunny Vas are jointly producing the film.

Director Gowtam Tinnanuri said that when the project began, the team believed they were making a film about one of India’s greatest musical legends. However, while researching her life, they realised that M.S. Subbulakshmi was much more than a celebrated musician and had lived an extraordinary life. Born in Madurai, she took her music from South India to audiences across the world. He said her achievements were built on lifelong discipline, patience and dedication, and that the film aims to convey that message to the present generation.

Rashmika said she feels deeply grateful and honoured to have received the opportunity to portray such an iconic personality. She said becoming a small part of M.S. Subbulakshmi’s life journey is a matter of great pride and respect for her. Rashmika added that she would make every effort to portray the legendary singer in a way that audiences would appreciate.

Kamal Haasan said M.S. Subbulakshmi brought beauty to every language in which she sang, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada. He said her music itself conveyed a powerful message to the world and recalled that Mahatma Gandhi was also an admirer of her singing. Speaking humorously about Rashmika playing the role, Kamal said he was not jealous of her opportunity and added that even if he removed his beard, he could not have done justice to the role. He described M.S. Subbulakshmi as an iconic woman who inspired confidence among Indian women.

Bunny Vas said producing the film is a matter of great fulfilment for him. He credited Allu Arjun with helping him move from animation into film production and said that opportunity had led him to this prestigious project. He noted that M.S. Subbulakshmi dedicated her achievements to God and lived a simple life despite her extraordinary stature.

Rockline Venkatesh said the team had been researching M.S. Subbulakshmi’s life for nearly seven years. He said finding the right actor for such an iconic role was extremely challenging. After extensive discussions, the team felt Rashmika could connect with audiences and do justice to the character.

Allu Aravind said that while everyone knows M.S. Subbulakshmi as a great musician, learning about the experiences and challenges she faced in her personal life strengthened their decision to make the biopic. He highlighted her discipline, courage and principles as inspiring aspects of her life. He said she developed a passion for music at a very young age and remained focused on her goal. The team, he added, is not attempting to recreate M.S. Subbulakshmi’s music exactly as it was, but is creating a major biopic with Anirudh’s musical contribution. The film will be released in four South Indian languages.

The launch event was attended by actress Suhasini, actor Sivakumar, filmmaker Mahendran, actor Samuthirakani, producers Kalaippuli S. Thanu, Rajendran and Katragadda Prasad, M.S. Subbulakshmi’s grandson Chandrasekhar and his wife Mala, among others.