Speaking about the same, Ramya Krishnan said, “It is mainly a story of an unstoppable woman – her rise, her power, her journey and more. This role feels like it was written for me and I have done all in my power to bring this to life. It is definitely a story worth telling and I am proud to be a part of a show like this.”
Based on true events, this is the inspiring story of a woman who never got anything she wanted – but got everything else, nonetheless. The 11 episodic series has premiered on MX Player today and what’s more – you can binge-watch, for free. We also bring you a sneak peek of the key characters of the show:
The Making of a ‘Queen’
An adaptation of the book Queen, written by Anita Sivakumaram – the series is directed by National Award-winning director Gautham Vasudev Menon along with Prasath Murugesan. The series tells the tale of Shakthi, who was pushed to embrace life choices which weren’t her own, and yet she excelled in each of those chapters. Different phases of Shakthi’s life are woven together by an interview that sees her reliving those moments in flashback and the acclaimed actress Lillete Dubey essays the role of the interviewer.
Speaking about the same, Director Gautham Menon said, “This is a piece of work that is very dear to my heart – be it the writing, the production values which are par excellence or the stellar cast associated with the show, the project has turned out beautifully. This is an untold story which deserves to be told and I glad to have partnered with MX Player to bring alive this inspirational saga.”
Here’s a look at some of the key characters who play a pivotal role in the web series that went live today on MX Player.
The young Shakthi
A brilliant student who went on to become the state topper in her last year at school, Anikha Surendran delivers an outstanding performance as the young Shakthi. In a bid to feed the family, she had to quit her education, a choice made by her very own mother and was then forced to join the film industry.
Shakthi at 18 and until her late 2os. This is the phase of her life that saw her rise to the top in the film industry, fall in love as well as face betrayal both personally and professionally. Elaborating on the same, Anjana Jayaprakash, who essays this role to perfection said, “I am in awe of this unrelenting woman who chose to embrace and excel at all of life’s choices; I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity and it was like working with a dream team.”
The enigmatic GMR
Indrajith Sukumaram plays the role of the enigmatic GMR, a superstar loved by one and all who went on to rule the state as a leading politician. He plays a pivotal role in shaping the life of Shakthi, first as her mentor in the film industry, followed by his request to have her campaign as his party worker. Talking about his role he says, “This is a story of a woman who fought against all odds in a man’s world, which is what appealed to me and I knew I had to take up the challenge of playing the man who is the catalyst to most things in Shakthi’s life. I play this character across different phases of her journey and that excited me as an actor, to be able to portray such a versatile role.”
Also playing key roles in the series are Sonia Aggarwal who plays Shakthi’s mother who is a broken lady who has always yearned for good fortune. She is an actress at the end of her prime and her desperation for more makes her take matter into her own hands, whatever the cost maybe. Suriyakala played by Viji Chandrasekhar is Shakthi’s friend and closest aide. She sees potential in being loyal to Shakti and she does exactly that. Janaki played by Vanitha Krishna Chandran is GMR’s wife. She has a child from her first marriage and is grateful to GMR for taking her in and hence chooses to ignore GMR’s meandering ways.
Prasath Murugesan – who jointly co directed the series said, “The show very realistically depicts how the protagonist aces every chapter of her life – be it education, career or relationships. Every actor has executed their part in the show so well that it brings alive the writing which is not just a story of her triumphs but her road to it.”
She was destiny’s child who rose from the ashes like a phoenix to rule the state as its youngest female chief minister. Download MX Player app today and stream the show exclusively in Hindi, Tamil and Bengali – FOR FREE.
Prasanta Patnaik