‘Abhinaya Saraswathi’ B Saroja Devi passes away

Veteran actress B Saroja Devi, hailed as the first female superstar of Kannada cinema and popularly known as Abhinaya Saraswathi (Saraswathi of expressions), passed away on Monday at the age of 87. She died due to age-related ailments at her residence in Malleswaram, Bengaluru. Saroja Devi got her first break at just 17 years old with the Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955) – a film which won her a National Award. Introduced to Tamil cinema in 1957 by BR Panthulu, she went on to rule the industry. The Padma awardee acted in over 200 films across four languages — Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi — leaving an indelible mark on Indian cinema. She also acted alongside leading stars such as Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, NT Rama Rao and Rajkumar. Her passing marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations.I grew up watching B Saroja Devi and was always in awe of her on-screen brilliance. So when I finally got the chance to work with her and share screen space, it was nothing short of a fan girl moment. Up until then, I had only watched Saroja Devi on screen. So I was thrilled to meet her on the sets of our first film together called Nadodi in 1967, in which we acted alongside MGR. I remember being instantly struck by her beautiful face. By the time we finished the film, I got to witness firsthand the consummate artiste that she was. We went on to star in many more films after that. By then, we had also become close family friends. My bond with her continued, and to date, we would often meet at each other’s homes, social events or connect over the phone. Two months ago, I suddenly felt that I must visit Sarojamma and spend time with her. So my daughter Keerthi and I went to her home. She had intense pain in her hand and preferred spending time in her comfort space by then. We spoke for a long time and indulged in our usual banter. I would fondly call her Sundaramoorthi because Saroja Devi’s face was so…ethereal and beautiful. She was made for the screen. I’m glad she gave us her precious time before moving to the next realm.