Legendary actress B. Saroja Devi, 87, was laid to rest with full state honours in her native Karnataka village of Dashavara on Tuesday, after passing away from age-related ailments on July 14th. Her funeral followed Vokkaliga traditions
Legendary actress B. Saroja Devi laid to rest with full state honours in Karnataka. Pic/PTI
Legendary film actress B. Saroja Devi was laid to rest with full state honours on Tuesday in her native village of Dashavara, located in Karnataka’s Mandya district, reported news agency PTI.
The 87-year-old actress passed away on 14th July due to age-related ailments at her residence in Malleswaram, Bengaluru. Her funeral was conducted in accordance with Vokkaliga traditions, with burial rites observed.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, alongside prominent figures from the state’s film industry including Jayamala, Rockline Venkatesh, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce President M. Narasimhalu, and film producer Basant Kumar Patil, were among those who paid their final respects to the esteemed actress.
Born on 7th January 1938, in Bengaluru, Saroja Devi rose to become one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated and iconic actresses, according to PTI.
She made her cinematic debut in the early 1950s and went on to star in over 180 films across multiple languages. Known for her elegance, powerful screen presence, and remarkable versatility, she quickly achieved widespread fame.
Her performances in films such as Sasural, Kittur Rani Chennamma, Anbe Vaa, and Enga Veettu Pillai are widely remembered as significant milestones in Indian cinema, reported PTI.
Moreover, Saroja Devi was particularly acclaimed for her portrayals in historical and mythological films, where she embodied strong female characters with conviction and grace.
Notably, she received several prestigious accolades, including the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri from the Government of India, as well as the Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award from the Karnataka government.
Following the news of her passing, condolences poured in from across the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, various political leaders, and prominent figures from the Indian film industry paid tribute to her, acknowledging her enduring legacy and invaluable contributions to Indian cinema, reported PTI.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters after paying homage at her Bengaluru residence, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described her demise as “a major loss to the entire film industry.”
He further added, “B. Saroja Devi entered the film industry at a very young age and served it for nearly 70 years. She earned the title of ‘Abhinaya Saraswati’ early in her career and became a multi-talented actress who worked in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi films.”
(With inputs from PTI)
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