Acting Legend, B. Saroja Devi, passes away at age 87

B. Saroja Devi, the star of 200 films in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and in her mother tongue, Kannada, has passed away at the age of 87.

After making her debut to Kannada films when she was 17, she made her debut to the Tamil screen in a small role as a dancer in the Gemini Ganesan-Savitri Ganesan starrer, Thirumanam.

Her first major role in Tamil was in the Sivaji Ganesan-Jamuna starrer, Thangamalai Ragasiyam. Her first lead role in Tamil was opposite K. Balaji in the 1958 film Manamulla Maruthaaram but she became a sensation after her role opposite M.G. Ramachandran in Nadodi Mannan, the debut of M.G. Ramachandran as a director and producer.

She went on to star opposite every major actor of her time and continued to play the female lead in Tamil films until the 1974 film Pathu Matha Bandham. In her career in Tamil films, she had made truly iconic films like Kalyana Parisu, Palum Pazhamum, Bhaga Pirivinai, Alayamani, Padagotti, Anbe Vaa, Pudhiya Paravai, Enga Veetu Pillai and Kalangarai Villakkam. Her last Tamil film was Surya’s Adhavan in 2019 where she played a major role as Suriya’s mother.

B Saroja Devi was the darling of the masses and was widely emulated in on-0screen sarees, chudithars and other outfits as well as in her hairstyles.

She continued to play the female lead in Kannada until 1984, making her the longest reigning actress, playing the lead in 161 consecutive films across 29 years.

B. Saroja Devi passed away this morning – around 09h00 IST – at a private hospital.