Padma Bhushan recipient and legendary actress B Saroja Devi passed away at the age of 87 on July 14. The acclaimed actress of “Abhinaya Saraswathi” and “Kannadathu Paingili,” had worked in over 200 films. Considered as one of the most successful actresses in Indian cinema, Saroja Devi did not limit herself to Kannada movies, but also acted in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi language film.
Saroja Devi’s early life
Born on January 7, 1938, Saroja Devi was adored and emulated by generations. A role model of aspiring actresses, Saroja Devi marked her entertainment industry debut with the 1955 Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa at the age of 17.
Saroja Devi films
The breakthrough in her career came with the 1958 Tamil classic “Nadodi Mannan” in which she shared screen space with MG Ramachandran (MGR). She marked her debut in Telugu cinema in 1957 with Panduranga Mahatyam. In the following year, she entered Tamil film industry with Nadodi Mannan. This was followed by her foray into Hindi films in 1959 with Paigham.
Her acting skills, poise, beauty and personality enthralled audiences and she became a sought-after star across the southern states. Saroja Devi, who worked with stalwarts like Sivaji Ganesan, N.T. Rama Rao, Rajkumar, and Shammi Kapoor, contributed significantly to Indian cinema leaving a legacy that will endure for ages to come.
Saroja Devi awards
She was honoured with India’s fourth highest civilian honour — Padma Shri in 1969 and the third-highest civilian honour — Padma Bhushan in 1992. She also received the Kalaimamani Award from Tamil Nadu. She was honoured with an honorary doctorate from Bangalore University.
Besides her contributions to Indian cinema, she served as chairperson of the jury for the 53rd National Film Awards roles and as vice-president of the Kannada Chalanchitra Sangha.
Her death marks an end of an era and leaves a void that can never be filled since she was the only Indian actress to play the lead role in over 161 consecutive films in 29 years.