Veteran South Indian actress B. Saroja Devi, who was renowned for her towering achievements in Indian cinema, died at the age of 87 on Monday morning at her home in Malleswaram, Bengaluru. She died of old-age-related ailments. Her demise has evoked an outpouring of anguish throughout the nation, with accolades pouring in from politicians, celebrities, and the public as a whole.
Reports say that Saroja Devi was discovered lifeless at her residence and taken to a hospital, where the doctors certified that she had passed away. Her mortal remains will be preserved for public tribute until Tuesday morning before being taken to her birth village Dashavara in Channapatna for the last rites. Her son Harsha Gautham confirmed that she would receive full state honours when she was being buried. The family also donated her eyes according to her wishes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was first to pay tributes on X and wrote, “Saddened by the demise of the renowned film personality B. Saroja Devi. She shall be remembered as a fine icon of Indian cinema and culture. Her varied performances left an unforgettable impression across generations. Condolences to her family and fans.”
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…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2025
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also sent condolence messages, describing her as a “towering figure in Tamil cinema.” He recalled watching her strong performances along with legends such as MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, and Gemini Ganesan, and noted that generations of actors had been influenced by her.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described her as a shining star of Kannada cinema and praised her memorable roles in films like Kittur Chennamma, Babruvahana, and Anna Thangi. “Her departure is a great loss to the Indian film industry,” he said.
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy too paid his respects, recalling her great performances in films with Dr. Rajkumar and terming her the “goddess of acting for her fans.” Former CM Basavaraj Bommai, All-India Congress Committee General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, and Opposition Leader R. Ashoka were some of the leaders who visited in person to pay their last respects.
The movie world also expressed profound grief on her passing. Superstar Rajinikanth was in mourning for her on X: “The legendary 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. 🙏🏻#SarojaDevi
— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) July 14, 2025
Actress and politician Khushbu Sundar posted, “An era of golden cinema comes to an end. #SarojaDevi amma was the greatest of all times. No other female actor in the South has ever basked in the name and fame as her. She was such a lovable, adorable soul. Will miss her so much. Rest in peace Amma. Om Shanti.”
An era gold golden cinema comes to an end. #SarojaDevi amma was the greatest of all times . No other female actor in south has ever enjoyed the name and fame as her. Such a lovable adorable soul she was. Had a great rapport with her. My trip to Bengaluru was incomplete without… pic.twitter.com/gj8bQt0glq
— KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) July 14, 2025
Veteran actress Madhoo Shah wrote a heartfelt tribute, recounting how Saroja Devi was like her mother, and expressed gratitude for inspiring her.
Actor Karthi mused, “Having shared screen space with all the top heroes and played the heroine in more than 200 films, she led generations of women through her craft, dedication, and discipline.”
தென்னிந்திய திரையுலகின் பெருமையாக ஒளிர்ந்த அம்மா சரோஜா தேவி அவர்களின் மறைவு ஈடுசெய்ய முடியாத இழப்பு. அனைத்து முன்னணி கதாநாயகர்களுடன் நடித்து, 200-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட திரைப்படங்களில் கதாநாயகியாக மின்னிய அவர், தனது கலை, ஒழுக்கம் மற்றும் அர்ப்பணிப்பின் மூலம் பல தலைமுறை பெண்களுக்கு… pic.twitter.com/L1bAis0ts2
— Karthi (@Karthi_Offl) July 14, 2025
Choreographer-actor Prabhudheva too recollected the legend, stating that her poise and cinematic legacy will be etched for all times to come. Tamil actress Simran, who had shared screen space with Saroja Devi in Once More (1997), referred to her legacy as “eternal.”
Her grace and legacy will remain eternal. 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/Inl07elhIH
— Prabhudheva (@PDdancing) July 14, 2025
Actor Sadhu Kokila, who is now the president of Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, stated that her demise was one “not only for Kannada but the entire Indian film industry.”
ಅಭಿನಯ ಸರಸ್ವತಿಗೆ ಭಾವಪೂರ್ವಕ ವಿದಾಯ!
ನಮ್ಮ ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಿತ್ರರಂಗದ ಹಿರಿಯ ನಟಿ ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಬಿ. ಸರೋಜಾದೇವಿ ಅವರು ಇಂದು ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಅಗಲಿದ್ದು, ಅವರ ಅಗಲಿಕೆಯಿಂದ ಕನ್ನಡ ಮಾತ್ರವಲ್ಲದೆ ಇಡೀ ಭಾರತೀಯ ಚಿತ್ರರಂಗಕ್ಕೆ ತುಂಬಲಾರದ ನಷ್ಟವಾಗಿದೆ.#BSarojaDevi pic.twitter.com/EQrT9mQKm2
— Dr. Sadhu Kokila (@NimmaSadhu) July 14, 2025
Action superstar Kichcha Sudeep referred to her as a “Goddess of Acting,” going on to say, “She lived the full life like a parijata flower with her aroma and now she has left us behind.”
ಅಭಿನಯ ಸರಸ್ವತಿ ಎಂದೇ ಹೆಸರಾದ ಬಹುಭಾಷಾ ತಾರೆ ಶ್ರೀಮತಿ ಸರೋಜ ದೇವಿ ಅವರು ತಮ್ಮ ಮೋಹಕತೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಹೊರಟಿದ್ದಾರೆ.ಹಲವು ಭಾಷೆಗಳ ಪ್ರೌಡಿಮೆ ಹೊಂದಿದ್ದ ಅವರು ಅನೇಕ ದಿಗ್ಗಜರೊಂದಿಗೆ ನಟಿಸಿ ತಾನೇ ಪಾತ್ರವಾಗಿ ಬೆಳ್ಳಿತೆರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಶ್ವತವಾಗಿ ಉಳಿದಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಪಾರಿಜಾತ ಪುಷ್ಪವೊಂದು ತನ್ನ ಪರಿಮಳದೊಂದಿಗೆ ತುಂಬು ಜೀವನ ನೆಡೆಸಿ ನಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಆಗಲಿ… pic.twitter.com/tlu6Tzfi4V
— Kichcha Sudeepa (@KicchaSudeep) July 14, 2025
Some political functionaries such as AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, MDMK chief Vaiko, PMK president Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, MNM leader Kamal Haasan, and Governor RN Ravi also mourned.
Lauded as “Abhinaya Saraswathi,” Saroja Devi was decorated with Padma Shri (1969), Padma Bhushan (1992), Kalaimamani Award from the Government of Tamil Nadu, and an honorary doctorate from Bangalore University. Having acted in more than 200 films in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi, she was indeed the first lady superstar of Kannada cinema.
Her death leaves a legacy behind that helped mold the golden age of Indian film, and her memory will be carried through generations of fans and artists as well.
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