Veteran actress B. Saroja Devi breathed her last in Bangalore on 14th July due to age-related illnesses. She was 87. She passed away at her residence.
Saroja Devi worked in more than 200 films in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi in a career spanning more than seven decades. She was decorated with the Padma Shri in 1969 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992. In 2008, she was given the lifetime achievement award by the government of India.
B. Saroja Devi was known as the first female superstar of Kannada cinema. She was often called Abhinaya Saraswathi for her exceptional acting skills.
She debuted in 1955 in Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa. She went on to star in classics like School Master (1958), Kittur Chennamma (1961), Amarashilpi Jakanachari (1963) and Mallammana Pavada (1968). She became a popular name in Tamil cinema after M.G. Ramachandran cast her in Nadodi Mannan. Among her other notable Tamil films with MGR is Bhaaga Pirivinai. In all, she acted with MGR in 22 films.
In Telugu cinema, she worked with NTR in Seetarama Kalyanam (1961), Jagadeka Veeruni Katha (1961) and Daagudu Moothalu (1964). Among her Hindi films are Paigham (1959), Sasural (1961) and Beti Bete (1964).