Veteran actor B Saroja Devi, who made a special appearance in Puneeth Rajkumar’s Natasaarvabhowma, left an unforgettable impression on everyone involved in the film. Director Pavan Wadeyar, who considers it a privilege to have directed her last film, fondly recalls her simplicity and discipline despite her legendary status. “It was truly a lucky opportunity. Even with everything she had achieved, her humility stood out,” said Pavan. “One day, she came half an hour late and kept apologising to the entire team. That kind of humility is something today’s generation can learn from. We shot with her for about 4–5 days. She even brought lunch for the entire unit once. We had asked her to play herself in the film, and she told us she had never done that before. She was glad to do it.”
Pavan also shared a personal anecdote — the same year he got married, during the dubbing session, Saroja Devi gifted his wife a saree.
Saroja Devi treated every artist with the same affection: Rockline Venkatesh
Producer Rockline Venkatesh, too, shares a deep bond with the late actor. “She treated all artists with affection and would often talk about the responsibility one carries as an actor. When I requested her to appear in Natasaarvabhowma, she initially asked if she should act at all but agreed because I insisted.”
He adds that she didn’t just participate wholeheartedly but even expressed her interest in acting again. “She would often call me and say, ‘I’m bored, come home… bring Doddanna too.’ She treated Ambareesh like her younger brother.”
Rockline grew emotional as he recalled how she had been on his mind over the past month. “Just three days ago, I tried to contact her and even called her daughter, Indu, who said she was in Dubai. And today, I got a call from her son, informing me of her passing. It’s a huge personal loss,” he said.
