The demise of veteran and celebrated actor B Saroja Devi on Monday has come as both shocking and deeply saddening news. The 87-year-old actor succumbed to age-related ailments in her house in Bengaluru in the early hours of Monday. As the film industry and millions of her fans across India mourn her demise, we remember the time when Cinema Express got the opportunity to honour the legend.
In 1997, at the 17th edition of the Cinema Express Awards, B Saroja Devi was presented with the the Lifetime Achievement award for her work in the Kannada film industry. Sivaji Ganesan presented her with the award at the function. Along with Saroja Devi and Sivaji Ganesan, Chief Minister MK Stalin (then Mayor) and the CMD of The New Indian Express, Manoj Kumar Sonthalia, are also seen on stage. Cinema Express was one of the earliest to bestow upon Saroja Devi a lifetime achievement award, thereby having the honour of honouring the legend.
Saroja Devi won hearts in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi during her seven-decade career, which included more than 200 films. For her enormous contribution to Indian cinema, she received the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards.
She costarred with Dr Rajkumar and Kalyan Kumar in Kannada's seminal films, including Katha Sangama, Bhagyavantharu, Amarashilpi Jakanachari, and Babruvahana.
Saroja Devi costarred with MGR and Sivaji Ganesan, two seasoned celebrities. Before working with MGR on Nadodi Mannan in 1958, she costarred with Sivaji in Thangamalai Ragasiyam in 1957. Alongside Sivaji, she contributed to 22 hits, including Bhaaga Pirivinai, Paalum Pazhamum, and Thiruvilaiyadal. The actor delivered 26 successes with MGR, spanning genres and including Anbe Vaa, Enga Veettu Pillai, and Aayirathil Oruvan. Saroja Devi's reputation as one of the most adored heroines of her time in Tamil cinema was solidified by these films.
Her most recent performance was in the Puneeth Rajkumar-starring Kannada movie Natasaarvabhowma in 2019. She received the Government of India's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. Among the state honours she received were the Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award from the Karnataka government, the Kalaimamani Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tamil Nadu government, and the NTR National Award from the Andhra Pradesh government for the second consecutive year in 2009.