Allu Aravind, a producer of an upcoming biopic of MS Subbulakshmi, says the singer herself “chose” Rashmika Mandanna to play her. The film is directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri, and Mandanna is set to portray MS Subbulakshmi.
Several outlets also note public discussion around casting and the difficulty of the role. Actor Kamal Haasan comments that the portrayal comes with pressure and that filmmakers and actors must “do it bravely.” Earlier reports had linked other actresses, including Sai Pallavi and Rukmini Vasanth, to the project, indicating that casting was considered before Mandanna.
The biopic is also described as part of a longer effort to make a film on MS Subbulakshmi. Times of India adds that an earlier attempt involving Vidya Balan was dropped. Overall, outlets converge on the new casting decision and the explanation provided by Allu Aravind, while highlighting the broader casting debate and the project’s prior iterations.
