Fans of Kannada cinema woke up to a shock on Monday morning as legendary actress B Saroja Devi passed away at the age of 87. She was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bengaluru, and passed away at her Malleswaram residence at 9 am.
She was reportedly battling age-related illnesses and was in and out of hospital for quite some time before her demise.
Her death left the entire Kannada film industry numb, and celebs as well as fans mourned her death.
Celebs react to Saroja Devi's death
Among the first ones to mourn the death of Saroja Devi was legendary actor, Rajinikanth. He took to his X handle and wrote, "The great actress Saroja Devi, who won the hearts of millions of fans, is no longer with us. May her soul rest in peace (sic)."
Actress Simran Bagga, who had worked with Saroja Devi, wrote, "The iconic Saroja Devi amma is no more, but her legacy in Indian cinema will remain eternal. I was blessed to share the screen with her in Once More, a moment of pride that feels even more precious today. My deepest respects and prayers 💔 May her soul rest in peace. Om Shanti (sic)."
Khushbu Sundar called Saroja Devi's death end of an era "An era gold golden cinema comes to an end. #SarojaDevi amma was the greatest of all times . No other female actor in south has ever enjoyed the name and fame as her. Such a lovable adorable soul she was. Had a great rapport with her. My trip to Bengaluru was incomplete without meeting her. And whenever in Chennai, she would call. Will miss her immensely (sic)."
About Saroja Devi
Saroja Devi made her acting debut in the Kannada film industry with the Kannada classic Mahakavi Kalidasa in 1955, at the age of 17, and since then, there was no looking back for the actress. She went on to feature in over 200 films, in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi film industries.
During her career, she earned the titles of 'Abhinaya Saraswathi' and 'Kannadathu Paingili'. She was also known as the 'first female superstar of Kannada cinema'.
In 1969, she was honoured Padma Shri by the Government of India, followed by Padma Bhushan in 1992. She also received the Kalaimamani Award from Tamil Nadu government and an honorary doctorate from Bangalore University.
