Nissankara Savitri (also known as Savitri Ganesan; 6 December 1934 – 26 December 1981) was an Indian actress and filmmaker who predominantly worked in Telugu and Tamil films. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actresses in the history of Indian cinema, she was popularly known by the epithets Mahanati (transl. The great actress) in Telugu, and Nadigaiyar Thilagam (transl. The pride of all actresses) in Tamil. Savitri was among the highest-paid in South Indian cinema during the 1950s and 1960s and is often considered the "Queen of Telugu cinema".

In a career spanning three decades, Savitri appeared in more than 250 films. Her first significant role was in the 1952 Telugu - Tamil Bilingual film Pelli Chesi Choodu - Kalyanam Panni Paar. Later, she starred in several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, including Palletooru (1952), Devadasu (1953), Missamma (1955), Ardhangi (1955), Donga Ramudu (1955), Thodi Kodallu (1957), Mayabazar (1957), Mangalya Balam (1959), Kalasi Vunte Kaladu Sukham (1959), Aradhana (1962), Gundamma Katha (1962), Nartanasala, Sri Venkateswara Mahatyam (1960), Doctor Chakravarty (1964), Sumangali (1965), Pandava Vanavasam (1965), Devata (1965) and Naadi Aada Janme (1965).

Savitri was also known for her philanthropic work and generosity towards the poor. In recognition of her contributions to Indian cinema, she received the "A Moon Among Stars" honor at the 30th International Film Festival of India in 1999. Her life and career were later depicted in the biographical film Mahanati (2018), which won the "Equality in Cinema Award" at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.

Savitri was born on 6 December 1934 in a Telugu family in Chirravuru, Guntur district of present-day Andhra Pradesh. Her parents were Nissankara Subhadramma and Guravayya. Her father died when she was six months old, after which her mother took Savitri and an older sibling Maruti, to live with an aunt and uncle. Her uncle, Kommareddy Venkataramaiah, enrolled her in classes when she began to show a talent for dance.

She was noted for the expression of her eyes during dramas. She participated in many dramas, in one where she was rewarded with a garland by the famous actor Prithviraj Kapoor. She, along with her uncle, went to the Vijaya Vauhini studio in Madras to audition for characters in movies, though they were not allowed to do so. Not giving up, they tried once again, in another cinema, where she managed to get a role, but could not perform as she did not recite her dialogues because she was in awe when talking to the film's hero.

It was then that she met Ramaswamy Ganesan, also known as Gemini Ganesan, who took pictures of Savitri and instructed the duo that they come after two months. Defeated, Savitri went back to her village and continued playing dramas. One day a man came to their home and asked Savitri to play a role for his cinema. Savitri's career thus began. Savitri married Gemini Ganesan in 1952, having first met him in 1948. The marriage led to a permanent rift with her uncle because Ganesan was already married, had four daughters, and was involved in an affair with Pushpavalli. Her marriage became public when she signed a photograph as Savitri Ganesh. Ganesan admitted that while married to Savitri, with whom he had a daughter and a son, he also had two daughters with Pushpavalli.

Savitri acted in dance dramas as a child, including some work with a theatre company run by Jaggayya. She made an unsuccessful speculative trip to find film work in Madras at the age of 14 when she was deemed to be too young to play heroine roles, but in 1950 was cast as the female lead in Samsaram (1950). That role did not become actuality because she became too excited, necessitating numerous retakes and eventually her replacement in the part. She was given a minor speaking role in the film and in the next year had two more minor roles, in Roopavati and Pathala Bhairavi (both in 1951), before getting her big break as the second heroine in Pelli Chesi Choodu (1952). She, later on, was propelled to stardom with critically acclaimed roles in blockbusters such as Devadasu (1953), and Missamma (1955).

Director P. Chandrasekhara Reddy who directed Savitri says, "there is none who can equal her beauty and talent. She didn't heed anyone's advice and got married very early. I remember she was so addicted to drinking even on the sets; she threw up on my shirt during a shoot. The next day she got a brand new shirt for me. She was a generous woman." Savitri also worked in Bollywood films, although she did not find much success. She also acted in three Malayalam films notably Chuzhi (1973).