Female Lead

Aadarsham (1952)
Cast: Gourinatha Sastry, Jaggaiah, Rama Sharma, T. Krishna, Savitri
Director: H. Viswanatha Babu
Banner: Subhodaya Pictures
Notes: When booked for this film, Savitri didn't know that what the role she would do. She did the heroine role opposite to Rama Sharma, the male lead.

Front name in titles

Palletooru (1952)
Cast: NTR, SVR, Nagabhushanam, Savitri, T.G. Kamala Devi, Ramana Reddy, Mikkilineni, Surapaneni Perumallu, Chadalavada, Atluri Pundarikakshaiah
Dialogues: Sunkara Satyanarayana, Vasireddy Bhaskara Rao
Music: Ghantasala
Producer: P. Sivaramaiah
Director: Tatineni Prakasa Rao
Banner: People's Art Productions
Notes: When Savitri got the good reputation after release of the film 'Pelli Chesi Choodu', Sivaramaiah, the producer of 'Palletooru', decided to make a change. He put Savitri's name at front at female artistes names in title cards in the place of T.G. Kamala Devi. So 'Palletooru' was the first film to Savitri as her name came at front in titles. She saw the film ten times in theatres for see her name.

Recognition as an actress

Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952)
Cast: NTR, SVR, G. Varalakshmi, Savitri, Suryakumari, Doraswamy, Dr. Sivarama Krishnaiah, Joga Rao, Padmanabham, Balakrishna, Master Kundu
Songs: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Music: Ghantasala
Cinematographer: Marcus Bartley
Art: Gokhale
Production Manager: Madduri Sesha Chalapathi Rao
Producers: Nagi Reddy, Chakrapani
Director: L.V. Prasad
Banner: Vijaya Productions
Release Date: 29 Feb, 1952
Notes: The shoot of this movie started in Aug 1951. Savitri done second heroine role while G. Varalakshmi was the main heroine. The film attracted the audiences instantly. Savitri got good recognition with her performance. This film run 100 days in 11 centres and the 100 days celebrations done on 8 June 1952 at Durga Kalamandir, Vijayawada in a grand manner.

2nd Heroine

Santhi (1952)
Cast: ANR, Peketi Sivaram, Chandra Kumari, Ramachandra Kasyapa, Savitri, C. Hemalatha, Govindarajula Subba Rao, Aarani Satyanarayana
Story: Kovvali Lakshmi Narasimha Rao
Songs: Samudrala
Music: Subbaraman
Producer: D.L. Narayana
Director: Vedantam Raghavaiah
Banner: Vinoda Pictures
Release Date: 15 Feb 1952
Notes: The second half of 1951, Savitri booked for the films Pelletooru, Aadarsham, Priyuralu, Santhi and Sankranthi. She did a second heroine in 'Santhi', while Chandra Kumari was main heroine. Actually D.L. Narayana, the producer, planned to make 'Devadasu' initially wih Janaki as heroine. They even recorded the songs. But sudden death of Subbaraman, the music director, D.L. started 'Santhi', instead of 'Devadasu'. In mean time, Janaki was so busy with other films. On other hand, Savitri was impressed with her looks and performance in 'Santhi'. So D.L. and Vendantam decided to take Savitri as heroine in 'Devadasu'.

Vamp Actress

Rupavathi (1951)
Cast: Surya Prabha, Suryakantham, Ratnappa, Surabhi, Savitri
Director: Kona Prabhakara Rao
Banner: Swathi Films
Release Date: 17 May, 1951
Notes: This was a third film of Savitri in Telugu. She done a vamp role in this film. Kona Prabhakara Rao, the producer, director and actor, heard about Savitri and given this role to her. It was a performance oriented role but a small one. The film got very mere response, so nobody recognised Savitri in it.

The Dancer

Patala Bhairavi (1951)
Cast: NTR, SVR, Malathi, CSR Anjaneyulu, Girija, Surabhi Kamalabai, Krishna Kumari, Lakshmikantam, Padmanabham, Hemalatamma Rao, Savitri, Relangi Venkatramaiah
Dialogues: Pingali Nagendra Rao
Screen-play: Kamalakara Kameswara Rao
Choreographer: Pasumarti Krishna Murthy
Producers: Nagireddy, Chakrapani
Director: K.V. Reddy
Banner: Vijaya Productions
Release Date: 5 March, 1951
The shoot of the film started in Feb 1950. When K.V. Reddy saw Savitri in Vahini Studios, he was very much impressed to Savitri's activeness. He took her as a dancer for a song. Savitri done the rehearsals before the shoot under the choreography by Pasumarti Krishna Murthy. She danced along with Krishna Murthy before the camera for the song 'Raanante Raane'. Everybody couldn't do the song, because the sequence required good footwork and many facial expressions. Who can dance and act can only do it. Savitri had those qualities. Since the shoot of the song Savitri was known as 'Raanante Ranne' girl.

Savitri first film 'Samsaram'

Samsaram (1950)
Cast: Pushpavalli (Kamala), Lakshmirajyam (Manju), Savitri, ANR (Venu), NTR (Raghu), Relangi (Seetharam), Surabhi Balasaraswathi (Kamakshi), Bezawada Kanthamma, Sundara Rao (Dr. Damodaram), Suryakantham, Rangaswamy, Doraswamy
Cinematography: Rehman, B. Subba Rao
Producer: Ranganath Das
Director: L.V. Prasad
Banner: Sadhana Films
Release Date: 29 Dec, 1950
Notes: Donepudi Krishna Murthy, well wisher of Savitri's family, recommended Savitri to Ranganath Das, the producer of 'Samsaram'. L.V. Prasad given her the female lead role, Kamala.
Savitri didn't forget the day 17 May, 1950 in her whole life. That day she acted infront of the camera, first time with make-up for 'Samsaram'. She feared to act with ANR, who was the favourite actor of younger generation of that time. She took many takes for many scenes in their combination. So the director and producer decided to replace her by Pushpavalli. Anyway Savitri did a small role as one of Pushpavalli's friends in the film. We can see her in 'Takkutamaaram bandi, tankeela bandi' song. And she said a dialogue 'nuvvu achcham hero Nageswara Rao laa unnave'.

Bad and good news

1970 - March 18 - Subhadramma, Savitri's mother, passed away.
This year Savitri started two films under her own direction. One was Tamil film 'Praptam', remake of Telugu film 'Mooga Manasulu', starred Sivaji Ganesan and Savitri, second was Telugu film 'Vinta Samsaram'.
1971 April - 'Vinta Samsaram' and 'Praptam' were released and bombed at box-office.
1973 - December 5 - Vijaya Chamundeswari, Savitri's daughter, got married Govinda Rao, Savitri's nephew.