Remembering B. Saroja Devi: A timeless multilingual film icon-OxBig News Network

B. Saroja Devi, known for her legendary work in regional cinema, passed away at the age of 87 on Monday (July 14, 2025). The veteran actor, who breathed her last in Bengaluru, was reported to have been suffering from age-related illness.

Hailed as the first superstar of Kannada cinema, Saroja Devi debuted with the 1955 movie Mahakavi Kalidasa. In Tamil, she starred alongside the great actors of yesteryears — particularly the two top heroes, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Sivaji Ganesan — and dominated the field for decades.

Though Saroja Devi largely navigated between Tamil and Kannada cinema, she made her presence felt considerably in Telugu cinema. She played the titular character in the 1966 film Shakuntala, was cast as Mandodari in Sri Seetha Rama Kalyanam (1961) and Subhadra in Sri Krishnarjuna Yuddham (1963).

Police security at South Indian actor B. Saroja Devi house at Malleshwaram in Bengaluru on July 14, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
SUDHAKARA JAIN

The news of her death cast a spell of gloom, drawing reactions from members of the film fraternity and fans. CM Siddaramaiah announced that her final rites would be conducted with full State honours. Here is a list of stories about the actor’s stellar career and reactions from the world of Indian cinema.