B Saroja Devi, the first true female superstar of Kannada cinema and a beloved face across South Indian and Hindi films, passed away on Monday morning at her residence in Bengaluru. She was 87
Suresh Kavirayani
With a career spanning over seven decades and more than 200 films to her credit, Saroja Devi carved a unique place in Indian cinematic history. Between 1955 and 1984, she played the lead heroine in an astonishing 161 consecutive films — an unparalleled feat. She shared screen space with the biggest stars of her era — MG Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, NT Rama Rao (NTR), Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), and Dr. Rajkumar — creating legendary on-screen pairings that are cherished even today.
Born on January 7, 1938, in Bangalore, she was the fourth daughter of Bhairappa, a police officer, and Rudramma, a homemaker. It was her father who encouraged her to learn classical dance and eventually take up acting. Though she admitted in later interviews that acting wasn’t her personal ambition, it was her father’s dream that launched her into cinema.
Her debut in Kannada cinema came with Mahakavi Kalidasa, after which there was no turning back. In 1957, she entered Telugu cinema with Panduranga Mahatyam opposite NTR — a film that marked the beginning of one of Telugu cinema’s most iconic pairings. The duo would go on to act in nearly 20 films together, all of which were major successes.
In Tamil cinema, Saroja Devi became the quintessential heroine of the 1960s and ’70s, forming blockbuster duos with both MGR and Sivaji Ganesan. With MGR, she delivered 26 consecutive hits, and with Sivaji Ganesan, she starred in 22 successful films. Her screen presence extended beyond Tamil and Telugu industries; she starred in 17 films with Gemini Ganesan as well.
Her impact wasn’t confined to South India. In 1959, she made her Hindi debut in Paigham, sharing screen space with the legendary Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala, and Raaj Kumar. She went on to work with top Bollywood heroes like Rajendra Kumar (Sasural, 1961), Sunil Dutt (Beti Bete, 1964), and Shammi Kapoor (Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, 1963). At a time when very few actors bridged North and South Indian cinema, Saroja Devi stood as a rare and radiant exception.
For her immense contribution to Indian cinema and her philanthropic efforts, she was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1969 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992 by the Government of India.
In 1967, she married Sri Harsha, an engineer at Bharat Electronics. After his untimely death in 1986, Saroja Devi took a short break from films, though she completed seven already signed projects. She returned to the screen in 1993 alongside Sivaji Ganesan, though her roles thereafter shifted to character and supporting parts. Her final film appearance was in Natasaarvabhowma (2019).
Over her illustrious career, she also served the industry in various capacities — as Chairperson of the National Film Awards Jury Committee (1998, 2005), Vice-President of the Kannada Chalanachitra Sangha, and as a member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam’s local advisory committee.
Saroja Devi often credited NTR as her mentor, particularly for teaching her Telugu. In interviews, she recalled how intimidated she was to act opposite him in Panduranga Mahatyam due to his commanding presence. “He always gave me respect and called me ‘Saroja garu’, even though I was younger,” she once shared.
Their on-screen rapport led to several memorable portrayals — she played both Subhadra and Sita opposite NTR’s Krishna and Rama, and also portrayed Mandodari opposite his Ravana. Her favourite on-screen song, she said, was Chitapata Chinukulu Paduthu Vunte from Atmabalam, featuring ANR.
