Indian actress B. Saroja Devi passed away at the age of 87 on Monday at a private hospital in Bengaluru. The sad news has deeply affected the entertainment world, with fans, celebrities, and politicians expressing their grief over the loss of the veteran actress. Reports say Saroja Devi had been receiving treatment for age-related health problems. She passed away around 9 a.m. at her home in Malleswaram.
Who Was Saroja Devi?
Known affectionately as ‘Abhinaya Saraswathi’ and ‘Kannadathu Paingili,’ Devi made her first appearance in the Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa back in 1955. Over her long career spanning seven decades, she acted in more than 200 films across Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu languages. Some of her most memorable movies include Anna Thangi, Bhakta Kanakadasa, Kittur Chennamma, Babruvahana, Kasturi Nivasa, Nadodi Mannan, Panduranga Mahatyam, Karpoora Karasi, Bale Bangaara, Naagakannike, Bettada Hoovu, and Thirumanam. Her last film appearance was in the Kannada movie Natasaarvabhowma in 2019.
Saroja Devi was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 1992 and the Padma Shri in 1969 for her significant contribution to Indian cinema. She started her film career at just 17 years old and gained popularity with her Kannada debut film, Mahakavi Kalidasa. Meanwhile, her Telugu debut film Panduranga Mahatyam (1957) brought her even more recognition. With the release of her Tamil film Nadodi Mannan in 1958, she became a household name in the Tamil film industry.
In 1967, Saroja married Sri Harsha, an engineer. Unfortunately, he passed away in 1986 due to health-related issues. Her notable awards include the Lifetime Achievement Award (2008), the Kalaimamani Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu, and others. Devi starred in the Hindi film Paigham (1959) and acted as the female lead in 161 consecutive films.
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