"She was the pride of Karnataka": Kannada star Tara mourns loss of veteran actress B Saroja Devi

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 14 : Kannada actress Tara mourned the loss of veteran star B Saroja Devi, who passed away on Monday at the age of 87.

While talking to the media after paying her respects to the late actress B Saroja Devi, Tara remembered her mother-daughter-like bond with 'Mahakavi Kalidasa' actress, saying that she lost her mother today.

"We lost our mother, and she was not only a great human being, but also a great actor. She was the pride of Karnataka. In a period of more than 50 years back, she has acted in all the languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, in every film. We have to be proud of her, and you know that she has already been awarded the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and more. She was also a doctor," said Tara.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala also arrived at the residence of B Saroja Devi to extend his condolences to the family of the late actress.

In the media interaction, Surjewala called Saroja Devi a "superstar" of India while remembering her contribution to the cinema.

"The superstar of not only Kannada cinema, but she transcended across languages, whether it was Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. Every role that she played came alive. The character came alive. Her contribution to the cinema, to the artistic world is beyond any comparison. She will continue to live in the hearts of millions and millions of her fans and admirers, not only among the Kannadigas, but across all the states, including those who watched her performance even in the Hindi language."

He further said, "My deepest condolences to the family and homage to her. I don't think so. That this loss can ever be repaired, but she will always continue to live through her actions, through her words, through her artistic imagery that she she brought alive on the screen, always in our hearts."

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also paid tribute to the late actress in his post on X.

"The news of the passing of senior Kannada actress B. Sarojadevi has caused deep sorrow. She had acted in approximately 200 films across Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi cinema, earning fame as the goddess of acting. The moment one mentions Sarojadevi, her captivating performances in films like Kittur Chennamma, Babruvahana, and Annathangi come to mind," he wrote on X.

Siddaramaiah added, "Her departure, having entertained audiences for decades through refined films, is a significant loss to Indian cinema. I pray that Sarojadevi's soul finds peace. My condolences to her grieving family and fans."

Saroja Devi got her big break with her Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955). She made her Telugu film debut with Pandurang Mahathyam (1957) and acted in several successful films until the late 1970s.

The Tamil film Nadodi Mannan (1958) established her as one of the top actresses in Tamil cinema. After her marriage in 1967, she remained the second most sought-after actress in Tamil films until 1974, while she continued to be a top actress in Telugu and Kannada cinema from 1958 to 1980.

She also acted in Hindi films, starting with Paigham (1959) until the mid-1960s. She acted in 161 consecutive films as the female lead between 1955 and 1984.

Sarojadevi was awarded the Padma Shri in 1969 and the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1992. She also received an honorary doctorate from Bangalore University and the Kalaimamani Award of Tamil Nadu. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

Known for her work in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi films, Saroja Devi's demise has left the industry in shock.

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