Ramya Krishnan: The Unforgettable Sivagami of Baahubali, But Did You Know She Wasn’t the First Choice?

Ramya Krishnan, the versatile actress who has graced the screens in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema, celebrates her 53rd birthday today, on September 15. While she has delivered outstanding performances in numerous films, her portrayal of Sivagami in SS Rajamouli’s epic Baahubali franchise stands out as a career-defining role. However, what many may not know is that Sridevi was initially the first choice for this iconic character, and the story of how Ramya Krishnan ultimately secured the role is a somewhat controversial one.

Sridevi: The Original Choice for Sivagami

The narrative unfolds with director SS Rajamouli and producer Sobhu Yarlagadda approaching the legendary actress Sridevi for the pivotal role of the fierce queen and matriarch in the period epic, Baahubali. It seemed like an ideal casting choice, considering Sridevi’s unparalleled talent and charisma. However, what followed was a twist in the tale.

The Demand That Altered the Course

It’s reported that during negotiations, Sridevi made some extraordinary demands, including a whopping ₹10 crore as her fees, a whole hotel floor exclusively for her family and staff, and ten flight tickets for them to travel from Mumbai to Hyderabad, where the film was being shot. These demands left the production team stunned and concerned about their budget constraints. In an interview with regional channel ABN Telugu after the film’s release, Rajamouli revealed, “After hearing a series of wishes from her (Sridevi), our team got fed up. We also thought that it would be above our budget to meet her demands. Then we approached Ramya Krishnan, and she proved herself fantastic. We now feel we were lucky that we dropped the idea of having Sridevi in our film.”

Sridevi’s Response

Sridevi, on her part, expressed her disappointment over the turn of events while promoting her 2017 film “MOM.” Speaking to NDTV Telugu, she said, “But when you hear such things about yourself, you get hurt. I don’t know if the producer wrongly told Rajamouli that I made all these demands, or there could have been some miscommunication. I think it is not in good taste to speak on a public platform like this.”

Ramya Krishnan: The Iconic Sivagami

In the end, Ramya Krishnan stepped into the shoes of Sivagami, and she delivered a stellar performance that became etched in the memories of audiences worldwide. Her portrayal added depth and intensity to the character, making Sivagami one of the most memorable figures in Indian cinema. The Baahubali franchise, starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Nasser, and Sathyaraj, went on to break numerous box office records internationally.

Additionally, plans for a spin-off prequel Netflix India series focused on Sivagami were once in motion, with Mrunal Thakur set to take on the titular role. However, this project was later shelved, leaving fans with the lasting legacy of Ramya Krishnan’s portrayal of this iconic character.

As we celebrate Ramya Krishnan’s birthday, it’s an opportune moment to reflect on the intriguing turn of events that led to her taking on the role of Sivagami and the cinematic history she created with her remarkable performance.

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