Thread by @subhajrao

When @swethar__ commissioned this piece on #FemaleSuperstars in the South, my first thought was it's difficult to gain access to the 2 main people being spoken about. So I spoke to - fellow journalists @sowmya_rajen @Sangeetha_Devi - who've closely followed their journey

https://twitter.com/News9Tweets/status/1491354445699231744

Who is a South Indian superstar? Someone who commands pre-dawn first shows, brand recall, a fat paycheck, the first option for a script, and a bespoke project. But, a female superstar needs this plus an 'acceptable' relationship status and non-controversial social media existence

In the South, #ManjuWarrier, #Nayanthara, #SamanthaRuthPrabhu & #AnushkaShetty are the top female stars. 3 of them command fans' loyalty & respect for their work despite troubled relationships that played out in the open. They have rewritten the rules that govern superstardom.

I also speak to @23_rahulr who has seen @Samanthaprabhu2 in her very first film and acted with her in her U-Turn, which marked her entry into the heroine as lead space. @neelkmenon shared some thoughts during the writing as did @AparnaKarthi who read the first draft for clarity.

And when @swethar__ said, "good story", I breathed. Because, she's quite the level-headed editor who won't tell me something is good just because I put in a lot of work. I loved putting together this article, and I hope you like reading it too. Leaving you with a 'cute' anecdote.

In 2008, cinematographer @dop_ravivarman was casting for his debut as director. @23_rahulr was rehearsing, when a petite model from Chennai saw her co-star, smiled widely and said 'Habba, I'm so glad you're not very tall'. That was @Samanthaprabhu2 , always living in the moment.

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