Rashmika Mandanna’s M.S. Subbulakshmi biopic has officially begun its journey, with the film launched at the Music Academy in Chennai on Wednesday. Kamal Haasan gave the ceremonial clap for the first shot featuring Rashmika, marking the beginning of a project centred on one of India’s most celebrated musical icons.
Speaking at the launch, Kamal Haasan highlighted the enormous responsibility of portraying M.S. Subbulakshmi on screen. Addressing Rashmika, he compared the pressure to that of an actor portraying global icon Michael Jackson. He also pointed out that the role demands more than physical resemblance or acting, stressing that bringing the compassion associated with Subbulakshmi into her eyes would be crucial.
Kamal further described M.S. Subbulakshmi as a pan-India superstar whose music connected audiences across regions and languages. Her contribution went beyond Carnatic music, with her renditions in Sanskrit, Hindi and other languages reaching audiences across the country.
Rashmika, who appeared emotional during the event, spoke about the gratitude she feels towards the opportunity. She described Subbulakshmi’s voice as possessing a unique divine power and said she feels as though she is in God’s presence whenever she listens to it. She also made a heartfelt promise to give her best to the role.
The launch was held on M.S. Subbulakshmi’s 110th birth anniversary and included a performance of her iconic compositions. The team also met her family and expressed gratitude for their support.
Directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, the yet-untitled biopic features music by Anirudh Ravichander and is produced by Allu Aravind, Rockline Venkatesh and Bunny Vasu. The film is planned as a pan-India release across multiple languages.