B Saroja Devi Passes Away: Veteran Actress Dies At 87 After Six-Decade-Long Career In Cinema

B Saroja Devi Passes Away: Veteran actress B. Saroja Devi, known for her extensive work across Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema, passed away on Monday (July 14) at the age of 87. She had reportedly been battling age-related health issues in recent years, according to a report by TV9 Kannada.

A familiar face to generations of cinema-goers, Saroja Devi was part of the Indian film industry for over six decades, appearing in nearly 200 films. Her last appearance on screen was in the 2019 Kannada film Natasaarvabhowma, starring Puneeth Rajkumar.

Six-Decade-Long Career Across Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi Cinema

Born on January 7, 1938, in Bengaluru, Saroja Devi was the daughter of Bhairappa, a police officer, and Rudramma, a homemaker. Encouraged by her father from a young age to pursue dance and performance, she was gradually drawn into cinema. According to TV9 Kannada, her father was instrumental in shaping her early artistic pursuits and remained a strong support system as her career progressed.

Saroja Devi made her acting debut as a teenager in the Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955). She went on to become a prominent name in South Indian cinema with films like Panduranga Mahatyam in Telugu and Nadodi Mannan in Tamil. Her popularity extended to Hindi films as well, starting with Paigham (1959). Between 1955 and 1984, she is noted to have played lead roles in 161 consecutive films-a rare feat in Indian cinema history.

She received several national honors during her lifetime, including the Padma Shri in 1969 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992. She was also awarded the Kalaimamani by the Tamil Nadu government and an honorary doctorate by Bangalore University.

Saroja Devi married Sri Harsha, an engineer, in 1967. He supported her acting career even after their marriage. She adopted her niece Bhuvaneshwari, who passed away at a young age. In her memory, Saroja Devi established the Bhuvaneshwari Award for literature.

She is survived by her grandchildren. More details regarding her funeral and official statements from the film fraternity are expected to follow.