When 17-year-old B Saroja Devi made her debut in Kannada film ‘Mahakavi Kalidasa' (1955), the doe eyed beauty with a crackling screen presence immediately captured the hearts of people. She went on to become a legend in not just Kannada, but also Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.
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Such was her success that her co-star in ‘Mahakavi Kalidasa', actor-filmmaker Honnappa Bhagavathar, one of the pioneers of Kannada cinema, included “man who discovered Saroja Devi” in his list of accomplishments.
Bengaluru-born Saroja Devi would eventually be crowned the first female super star of Kannada cinema.
Another co-star, Tamil film legend and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M G Ramachandran, or MGR as he is fondly known, who acted in 48 films with her, considered her a lucky mascot.
The pairing was noted for the electric onscreen chemistry. Some of their films — like ‘Anbe Vaa' (1966) — have gained cult status. Their first film together — Nadodi Mannan' (1958) — catapulted Saroja Devi to superstardom overnight.
Although Saroja Devi acted in almost all southern language films as well as Bollywood films – she was called ‘Chaturbhaasha Taare' — it is in Tamil that she shone the brightest.
In Tamil, she made her debut as a dancer in B R Panthulu's ‘Thangamalai Ragasiyam' (1957). She would eventually be feted as ‘Kannadathu Paingli' (Kannada's parrot) in the Tamil film industry.
A year after ‘Nadodi Mannan' made her an overnight star in Tamil Nadu, Saroja Devi again signed up for a non-lead role, for her debut Hindi film, showing her prescience in understanding how the industry works.
The film, ‘Paigham' (1959), starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala in the lead roles, was a blockbuster hit and Saroja Devi, despite her "bit role", wound her way into the hearts of people and directors. She went on to act in films like ‘Sasural' (1961) with Rajendra Kumar, Beti Bete (1964) with Sunil Dutt and ‘Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kiya' (1963) with Shammi Kapoor.
In all her films, the crackling chemistry she shared with her lead man made her a favourite choice of heroes. It was not just with MGR, she was also casted often with other reigning superstars of the time, cutting across languages, like Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Dr Rajkumar and N T Rama Rao (NTR).
Saroja Devi also achieved success in Telugu films, following her debut in 1957 in ‘Panduranga Mahatyam', in which she starred alongside NTR and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Eventually, NTR would cast her as the female lead in his directorial debut film, ‘Seetarama Kalyanam' (1961).
In her mother tongue Kannada, her portrayal of ‘Kittooru Rani Chennamma' (1961) was widely acclaimed. She also starred in the first Kannada film shot entirely in colour, ‘Amarashilpi Jakanachaari', a 1964 biographical film of a legendary 12th Indian sculptor.
Although she continued to act even after her marriage, she cut down on the volume of work. Her last lead role, that of a matron, was opposite Sivaji Ganesan in ‘Parambariyam' (1993). Her last film is 'Aadhavan' (2009), which had Suriya and Nayantara playing the lead. Saroja Devi played a judge's mother in this Tamil film.
Recognising her contribution to Indian cinema, the Central Government has not only acknowledged her with Padma Shri (1969) and Padma Bhushan (1992), but also a Lifetime Achievement Award during India's 60th Independence Day celebrations in 2008. She also won many state awards, including the prestigious Kalaimamani Lifetime Achievement award by the Tamil Nadu government in 2009.
Saroja Devi's Instagram account is proof that she kept with the times too. It also gives us a glimpse into her post retirement life — and the clout that she commanded until the very end. She documented meticulously when the current crop of stars like Dhanush, Karthi, Puneeth Rajkumar and Darshan, dropped in at her residence in Malleswaram, Bengaluru.
In an interview to a Tamil television channel, Saroja Devi talked about how all generations of stars have always showered her with love and the camaraderie that she shared with them, irrespective of their age.
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