B Saroja Devi, first female superstar of Kannada cinema, passes away at 87

Veteran Kannada actress B. Saroja Devi is no more. The actress, one of the most renowned actresses in South Cinema, passed away at her residence in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, on Monday, July 14. She was 87. Celebrated actress of Indian cinema, B. Saroja Devi, has left behind a legacy that spans over six decades and includes iconic performances in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi films. Fondly known by titles such as "Abhinaya Saraswathi" and "Kannadathu Paingili," Saroja Devi was one of the most successful actresses in the history of Indian cinema. Over her illustrious career, she acted in around 200 films.

Saroja Devi's death reason

No official statement has been released by her family yet. However, if reports are to be believed, the actress died following age-related ailments.

Entertainment industry tracker Sreedhar Pillai shared the news on X, ''#SarojaDevi (87) the yesteryear popular actress passed away in Bengaluru. In the golden era of south Indian cinema she ruled! Who can forget the romantic MGR-Saroja Devi pairing in blockbusters like Enga Veetu Pillai, Anbe Vaa etc?''

Tributes pour in for Saroja Devi

Soon the news broke, tributes starts pouring in.

Sharing photos of the actress, one user wrote,''End of an era in cinema! Eminent actress B Saroja Devi no more! She was 87.Acted in hundreds of movies in Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Hindi! Was fortunate to interview her earlier this year for something totally different! Atma Shanti! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼.''

Another X user wrote, ''Saroja Devi a household name in southern India of Indian cinema , a versatile actress of nearly 3 generations in cinema in all the languages of southern India and acted with all legendary actors of her times , she was the inspiration to younger generations actors, OM shanti,.'

Saroja Devi and MGR: A hit pair

She began acting at the young age of 17, making her debut with the Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa in 1955. However, she rose to fame with the 1958 classic Nadodi Mannan, opposite M.G. Ramachandran (MGR). The film was a massive hit and firmly established her name in the industry.

MGR and B. Saroja Devi went on to become one of the most memorable on-screen pairs in South Indian cinema. The iconic duo delivered over 26 back-to-back hits, including films such as Thaayai Katha Thanayan, Thaai Sollai Thathadhe, Kudumba Thalaivan and among others.

Saroja Devi's movie list

The death of Saroja Devi marks the end of a glorious era in South Indian cinema. A trailblazing star whose legacy spans across generations and languages. She had appeared in movies such as Thirumanam, Pancharathna, Panduranga Mahatyam, Anna Thangi, Bhookailasa, Kalyana Parisu, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, among others.

She has worked with icons such as Sivaji Ganesan, NT Rama Rao, Dilip Kumar, Rajkumar, and Shammi Kapoor in various movies. Her last appearance was in the 2019 Kannada movie Natasaarvabhowma, starring Puneeth Rajkumar.