{ B SAROJA DEVI } 1938-2025 Veteran actor who was an iconic face in cinema landscape of the country

B Saroja Devi, one of the most iconic faces of Indian cinema across Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi movies, died in Bengaluru on Monday at the age of 87. She had been suffering from age-related health issues.

- Arun Dev

Often remembered as the “first female superstar” of Kannada films, Saroja Devi began her acting journey at the age of 17 with Mahakavi Kalidasa in 1955. Over the next seven decades, she appeared in more than 200 films and left a mark on audiences across the country.

Born on January 7, 1938 in Bengaluru, she was awarded Padma Shri in 1967 and Padma Bhushan in 1992. She also received the Kalaimamani award, the Dr Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award, and the NTR National Award in both 2001 and 2009. In 2008, the Government of India honoured her with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the 60th Independence Day celebrations.

Her Kannada roles in Kittur Chennamma, _Babruvahana, Mallammana Pavada, Kasturi Nivasa, Naagakannike and Bettada Hoovu earned her widespread acclaim. She was popularly called Abhinaya Saraswathi, or Goddess of Acting, for her expressive style.