Self Respect beyond Hunger - Savitri

December 06, 2013 - 02:19 PM IST Savitri 

The world of Cinema is very interesting. When films are super hits and chances are heaped on an actor, people around start praising and take the actor to sky heights. But when things are meek, nobody even comes for rescue. They wouldn’t even enquire whether the actor is having food or alive. The great actress Savitri’s story is exactly like this.

During the days when star value reduced and when Savitri had to do small roles for the sake of earning money- she had to attend a shooting. During the lunch break, the cast and crew were having food brought from carriages in their respective AC rooms. For people who don’t get food from home, the production department has to arrange food. The great actress Savitri did not get her lunch from home. When everybody was having lunch, she sat at a corner all alone. Seeing that, the production department people started hurrying up to arrange food. But Savitri is a woman of self respect and she couldn’t ask them to arrange for lunch as she is hungry. Observing this scene, another veteran actor Gummadi came near her and asked whether she had her lunch or not. But Savitri replied saying she isn’t hungry. Her face was laden with sadness and insulted look and Gummadi could instantly catch that. Gummadi called her to have lunch with him by sharing his carriage but she held her face down saying she doesn’t want to. She said,” Voddhu Annayya!”.When a person like brother requested her fervently, Savitri could not decline his request and they both had lunch together then.

Later when Gummadi was having fever, Savitri went to visit him at his house. But when she reached the house, Gummadi was asleep. During his sleep he felt his pillow being moved and after getting up he could find Rs.2000 /- cash under his pillow (It was a huge amount those days). After knowing Savitri kept this, he called her up. She replied, “Once I took a debt of Rs.2000 /- from you. Despite so many days getting over I couldn’t repay it back. Today some producer came to me and casted me for a role and I got Rs.5000/- paid for it. That is why I am able to repay it back!”