Saroja Devi death: PM Modi pays tribute - 'An exemplary icon of Indian cinema and culture'

Veteran South Indian actress B. Saroja Devi passed away at the age of 87 at her residence in Malleswaram, Bengaluru on July 14. Reportedly, the actress had been battling age-related ailments in recent months.

The late actress was fondly remembered as Abhinaya Saraswathi in Kannada and Kannadathu Paingili in Tamil cinema. Her legacy spanned over 200 films across Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi industries.


PM Narendra Modi pays tribute - "Exemplary icon of Indian cinema and culture"


Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to mourn her passing, calling her an "exemplary icon of Indian cinema and culture." The Tweet read, "Saddened by the passing of the noted film personality, B. Saroja Devi Ji. She will be remembered as an exemplary icon of Indian cinema and culture. Her diverse performances left an indelible mark across generations. Her works, spanning different languages and covering diverse themes highlighted her versatile nature. My condolences to her family and admirers. Om Shanti."


Tributes pour In from across India

Superstar Rajinikanth also expressed deep sorrow. He wrote, “The great actress Saroja Devi, who won the hearts of millions of fans, is no longer with us. May her soul rest in peace. #SarojaDevi” “பல கோடி ரசிகர்களின் மனம் கவர்ந்த மாபெரும் நடிகை சரோஜாதேவி இப்போது நம்முடன் இல்லை. அவருடைய ஆத்மா சாந்தியடையட்டும்.”

Actor Shiva Rajkumar, visibly emotional, described her as “another mother” and recounted a lifelong bond. Taking to the media he said, “She has seen me since the time I was born. I think we can’t forget her in a lifetime. More than being a superstar, she was a good human being, full of love and affection.”

A legendary actor



Saroja Devi made her film debut at just 17 with ‘Mahakavi Kalidasa’ (1955), going on to become Kannada cinema’s first female superstar. Her Tamil breakthrough came with ‘Nadodi Mannan’ (1958). She starred opposite M.G. Ramachandran in 'Nadodi Mannan'.

She continued to dominate the film industry through the 1960s and 70s, earning the Padma Shri (1969), Padma Bhushan (1992), and Kalaimamani awards, and served on the jury of the 53rd National Film Awards.