How B Saroja Devi became Kannada cinema’s female superstar

B Saroja Devi, who passed away at 87 on Monday (July 14, 2025), is a great example of a self-made star. Debuting in Kannada with Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955), she broke the glass ceiling to become a pan-India phenomenon and came to be hailed as the first female superstar of Kannada cinema.

In an industry dominated by male stars, Saroja Devi carved a niche for herself. Be it with Dr Rajkumar in Kannada, MG Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan in Tamil, or N.T. Rama Rao in Telugu, Saroja Devi maintained a strong screen presence opposite some of the biggest heroes of Indian cinema.

National Award-winning actor Tara calls her a guiding light in her career. “She would always tell me to be independent as a woman. She would encourage several actors like me to fight for our rights in the industry,” remembers Tara, a point reiterated by several women actors of the industry.

“She built a distinct legacy of her own which remains eternal,” opines author and film writer Muralidhara Khajane. Saroja Devi inspired her contemporaries and paved the way for her successors. “She should get the credit for spreading the essence of Kannada cinema across countries,” says Mr. Khajane.

Her illustrious career was fuelled by dedication, notes author and journalist Sreedhara Murthy. Her debut, Mahakavi Kalidasa, is about the legends of the poet Kalidasa. There are several slokas in the movie. Saroja Devi has recited them so convincingly. To do that in your first film requires great hard work.”

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Saroja Devi entered the film industry with no formal training in acting. Yet, she was a gifted artiste. A brilliant Bharatanatyam dancer and a stage singer, Saroja Devi could add life to songs on the big screen. “She is so graceful in the song ‘Nillu Nee Neelaveni’ in Amarashilpi Jakanachari (1964),” observes Murthy. The B S Ranga directorial, starring Kalyankumar, was Kannada’s first colour feature, and Saroja Devi delivered a standout performance as Manjari.

“In Rathnagiri Rahasya, she makes a short appearance in ‘Yavvanave Ee Yavvanave’, and yet, her presence lingers on throughout the movie,” recollects Murthy. Following her prime period, she transformed into a dependable character actor. Bhagyavantharu, in which she played the supportive wife to Dr Rajkumar’s character, is her most memorable work in the second stage of her career.

“She would star in mythological and historical films in Telugu starring N T Rama Rao and do social dramas with MGR and Sivaji Ganesan in Tamil. She had a royal face to suit the period drama genre, and her expressive acting helped her convincingly portray relatable characters,” notes film historian K Puttaswamy. Saroja Devi would dub her lines in all languages.

Actor-politician Sumalatha Ambareesh says she will miss the affectionate attitude of Saroja Devi. “She was a huge star, but she never carried the air of being popular. She was inspirational for her genuine personality,” says Sumalatha.