Here is why Keerthi Suresh said no to Mahanati at first

The cast of blockbuster hit Mahanati recently went on a nostalgic trip down memory lane as the reminisced the shooting of the film.
Actress Keerthy Suresh who played the role of Mahanati Savitri shared some interesting incidents during this session. Much to the surprise of fans, she revealed that she had initially rejected the role that won her the National Award for Best Actress.“Director Nag Ashwin narrated the whole script in four and a half hours. I felt nervous after hearing the story and thought that I would not be able to pull off this role. Savitri was such a legendary actress who was so immensely loved by the audiences. So I was very skeptical about my potential to fit into her shoes. That was the reason for me saying no to the film at first but Nag Ashwin was very sure of my ability. He showed faith in me and nurtured me to put up a great performance. I am glad that he chose to stick with me over getting another actress to play the role. This role changed my life completely. It was because of Mahanati that I got closer to my South Indian audience and also received a lot of praise from Bollywood fans,” she said.
Mahanati was based on the life of Telugu actress Savitri and the film won fared exceptionally well at the box office. Mahanati bagged three National Awards including one for Keerthy Suresh as the Best Actress. Dulquer Salmaan played the role of Gemini Ganeshan opposite Keerthy Suresh.