Veteran South Indian actress B. Saroja Devi passed away at the age of 87 in Bengaluru on Monday, according to film industry sources. She died at her residence in Malleswaram due to age-related ailments.
Saroja Devi, affectionately known as ‘Kannadathu Paingili’ (Kannada’s parrot) in Tamil, began her illustrious career at the age of 17 with the Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955). She earned the distinction of being the first female superstar of Kannada cinema and won a National Award for her debut performance.
Her Tamil film Nadodi Mannan (1958), alongside legendary actor and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran, established her as one of Tamil cinema’s leading actresses. Despite marrying in 1967, she remained a prominent figure in the film industry and was fondly referred to as ‘Abhinaya Saraswathi’ for her exceptional acting skills.
