Veteran Actress B Saroja Devi Passes Away At 87

Indian cinema legend B Saroja Devi passed away today at the age of 87.

She had been facing age-related health issues for some time, and died while receiving treatment at Manipal Hospital in Yeshwanthpur, Bengaluru.

Born on January 7, 1938, Saroja Devi acted in approximately 200 films over seven decades across Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi cinema. She was one of the most celebrated actresses in the history of Indian movies.

Saroja Devi made her debut at the age of 17 in the Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955). She soon turned into a star, and eventually became the first female superstar of Kannada cinema.

She entered Telugu cinema with Panduranga Mahatyam (1957), and found great success, delivering a string of hits through the late 1970s. She starred alongside the top star of the time N T Rama Rao in notable films such as Seetarama Kalyanam (1961), Jagadeka Veeruni Katha (1961), Daagudu Moothalu (1964) and Amara Shilpi Jakkanna (1964). Her collaboration with the other superstar of the time, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, in Pelli Kaanuka (1960) was also well-received.

Her role in the Tamil film Nadodi Mannan (1958) established her as a leading actress in Tamil cinema, too. And she was also active in Hindi cinema until the mid-1960s, beginning with Paigham (1959).

Even after her marriage in 1967, Saroja Devi continued to remain one of the most sought-after actresses in South-Indian cinema, even unto the 1980s, and held the record as the only Indian actress to star as the lead heroine in 161 consecutive films, over a span of 29 years - from 1955 to 1984. She made her final appearance on the silver screen in 2019 in the Kannada film Nata Sarvabhouma starring Puneeth Rajkumar.

Saroja Devi was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award, in 1969, and later received the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honour, in 1992 from the Union government.