‘Her music united India’: Kamal Haasan at Rashmika’s M S Subbulakshmi biopic launch

‘Her voice united India, especially South India.’ Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan paid a heartfelt tribute to legendary singer and Bharat Ratna awardee M S Subbulakshmi as the pan-India biopic on the musical icon was officially launched at a grand event to mark the legendary singer's 110th birth anniversary, at the iconic Music Academy Chennai on Wednesday. The launch brought together members of M S Subbulakshmi’s family, leading Carnatic musicians and several prominent personalities from the film industry to celebrate the legacy of one of India’s most revered voices.

Kamal, while speaking during the occasion, spoke of M S Subbulakshmi Amma’s greatness, adding that the musical empress united India, especially South India through her voice. She sang in Sanskrit, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and several other languages. “No matter which language she sang in, she elevated its beauty through her music. That is the timeless message her music has given all of us.

M S Amma has been a tremendous source of inspiration in my life. Whenever I listen to her Suprabhatam, Lalitha Sahasranamam, or Rangapura Vihara, my heart is filled with peace and joy. Even Mahatma Gandhi was a great admirer of her music. I congratulate Allu Aravind, Rockline Venkatesh, and Bunny Vas for taking up this wonderful project. This is a truly special film in your production journey," he said.

The project, which stars Rashmika Mandanna as M S Subbulakshmi, is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Gowtam Tinnanuri and features music by Anirudh Ravichander.  For director Gowtam Tinnanuri, the film is an attempt to look beyond the celebrated musician and explore the woman behind the legend.

“For the past one year, M S Subbulakshmi Amma’s name has become a mantra for our entire team. When we first began this project, we thought we were making a film about India’s greatest musical legend. But as we researched her life, we realised she was much more than a legendary singer. She was a daughter, an artist, a woman who dreamed big, faced victories and setbacks, and made countless sacrifices,” he said.

Born in Madurai, M S Subbulakshmi went on to captivate audiences in India and across the world with her music. Tinnanuri said the team encountered several remarkable milestones during its research, from her legendary concerts and musical journeys to her receiving the Bharat Ratna.

“But beyond all those achievements, we wanted to bring the woman behind the legend to the screen. We truly believe this is a very important film. Today, recognition often comes overnight through likes, shares and subscribers. But M S Amma earned her greatness through lifelong discipline, patience and dedication. That is the powerful message we want to pass on to this generation through our film,” he said.

Rashmika Mandanna, who plays the titular character, said she was grateful to be part of the project. “I feel immensely proud and honoured to become a small part of M S Amma’s extraordinary life journey. We truly believe her blessings will always be with us throughout this film. I promise to give my complete dedication to this role and do everything I can to portray M S Subbulakshmi Amma in a way that all of you will cherish and appreciate,” she said. Producers Allu Aravind, Rockline Venkatesh, and Bunny Vas, also spoke during the event.