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B. Saroja Devi Age, Death, Husband, Children, Family, Biography

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Husband: Sri Harsha
Death Date: 14/07/2025
Age: 87 Years

B. Saroja Devi

Bio/Wiki
Full NameBangalore Saroja Devi
Other Name(s)• Saroja Devi
• Dr B. Sarojadevi Sri Harsha
Profession Actor
Physical Stats
Height (approx.)5' 5" (165 cm)
Eye ColourBlack
Hair ColourBlack
Career
DebutFilm(s)
Kannada: Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955) as 'Vidyadhare'
B. Saroja Devi as 'Vidyadhare' in the film Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955)
Telugu: Panduranga Mahatyam (1957) as 'Kalavati'
B. Saroja Devi (as Kalavati) and N. T. Rama Rao (as Pundarika) in the film Panduranga Mahatyam (1957)
Tamil: Thirumanam (1958) as a dancer
A poster of the film Thirumanam (1958)
Hindi: Paigham (1959) as 'Malti'
B. Saroja Devi (as Malti) and Dilip Kumar (as Ratan Lal) in the film Paigham (1959)
Last FilmNatasaarvabhowma (2019) (Kannada)
Awards, Honours 1962
• Honoured with 'Chaturbhaasha Taare' for her fame across four major film industries (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi)

1965
• Conferred the title of 'Abhinaya Saraswathi' by the Government of Karnataka

1969
• Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award
• Best Actress award for the film 'Kulavilakku' at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards

1980
• 'Abhinandana-Kanchana Mala' award by the Karnataka State
B. Saroja Devi, while receiving a state award
1988
• Rajyotsava Awards by the Government of Karnataka

1992
• Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian award
B. Saroja Devi being conferred the Padma Bhushan
1993
• M.G.R. Award by the Government of Tamil Nadu
• Best Feature Film in Kannada award for 'Mahakavi Kalidasa' at the 41st National Film Awards

1994
• Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South

1997
• Lifetime Achievement Award by Cinema Express in Chennai
B. Saroja Devi while receiving Lifetime Achievement Award from Sivaji Ganesan (1997)
2001
• NTR National Award by the Government of Andhra Pradesh

2003
• Dinakaran Award for All-round Achievement

2006
• Honorary Doctorate from Bangalore University
• Vijay Award for Contribution to Tamil Cinema

2007
• NTR Award for Remarkable Achievement by Karnataka Telugu Academy
• Rotary Sivaji Award by the Charitable Trust and Rotary Club of Chennai

2008
• Lifetime Achievement Award by the Government of India, as a part of the celebrations of India's 60th independence day
2 September 2008: B. Saroja Devi, while receiving the Life Time Achievement Award from Pratibha Patil, the President of India, at the 54th National Film Awards, held in New Delhi
2009
• Kalaimamani Award by the Government of Tamil Nadu
• Dr. Rajkumar Lifetime Achievement Award by the Government of Karnataka
• NTR National Award by the Government of Andhra Pradesh
• Natya Kaladhar Award - Tamil Cinema by Bharat Kalachar, a cultural organization in Chennai

2024
• Lifetime Achievement Award by Prajavani Cine Sammana (2024)
Personal Life
Date of Birth7 January 1938 (Friday)
BirthplaceBangalore, Mysore State (now Karnataka), India
Date of Death14 July 2025
Place of DeathHer residence in Malleshwaram, Bengaluru
Age (at the time of death) 87 Years
Death CauseAge-related illness
Zodiac signCapricorn
Nationality Indian
HometownBengaluru
SchoolSt. Theresa School, Bengaluru
ReligionHinduism
CasteVokkaliga
Social MediaInstagram
Relationships & More
Marital Status (at the time of death)Widow
Marriage Date1 March 1967
Family
Husband/SpouseSri Harsha (engineer) (m. 1967; until his death in 1986)
ChildrenSon- 1
• Ramachandran (alias Gowtham, Gautam, Harsha Gautam, Gautam Ramachandran )
Daughter(s)- 2
• Harsha Bhuveneshwary (niece, adopted) (deceased)
• Indira
ParentsFather- Bhairappa (police officer in Mysore) (deceased)
Mother- Rudramma (homemaker)
SiblingsBrother- None
Sister(s)- 3 (elder)

B. Saroja Devi

Some Lesser Known Facts About B. Saroja Devi

  • B. Saroja Devi grew up in Bangalore.

    A childhood picture of B. Saroja Devi

    A childhood picture of B. Saroja Devi

  • She was the youngest of four daughters in her family.
  • It was Saroja’s father who encouraged her to pursue acting and also insisted that she learn classical dance.
  • As a kid, Saroja Devi would often go to studios with her father, who would lovingly tie her salangais (ankle bells worn for classical dance) and massage her feet after long dance sessions.
  • When Saroja was 13, filmmaker B.R. Krishnamurthy saw her singing at an event and offered her a role, but she politely refused, as she was not ready to enter films yet.

    B. Saroja Devi in her youth

    B. Saroja Devi in her youth

  • In 1957, Saroja Devi appeared as ‘Yavvanamohini’ in the Kannada language film ‘Rathnagiri Rahasya.’ That same year, she played the role of young Mohini in the Tamil film ‘Thangamalai Ragasiyam,’ where she also performed a dance sequence.

    A poster of the film 'Thangamalai Ragasiyam' (1957)

    A poster of the film ‘Thangamalai Ragasiyam’ (1957)

  • Saroja gained recognition in the Kannada film industry with notable performances in films like ‘Chintamani’ (1957), ‘School Master’ (1958), and ‘Jagajyothi Basveshwara’ (1959).

    A poster of the film 'School Master' (1958)

    A poster of the film ‘School Master’ (1958)

  • Saroja Devi debuted in Telugu cinema with the film ‘Panduranga Mahatyam’ (1957), where actress Krishna Kumari dubbed her voice. Eventually, Saroja learned the language and started dubbing for herself in later films.
  • She worked in many other Telugu films, including ‘Bhookailas’ (1958), ‘Sita Rama Kalyanam’ (1961), ‘Amarasilpi Jakkanna’ (1964), ‘Nireekshana’ (1986), ‘Alludu Diddina Kapuram’ (1991), and ‘Samrat Ashoka’ (1992).

    B. Saroja Devi in a still from the film 'Samrat Ashoka' (1992)

    B. Saroja Devi in a still from the film ‘Samrat Ashoka’ (1992)

  • Over time, Saroja Devi became one of the highest-paid actresses in both the Kannada and Telugu film industries.
  • Saroja rose to prominence in Tamil cinema after starring in the 1958 film ‘Nadodi Mannan,’ directed by M. G. Ramachandran. She appeared as ‘Rathna’ in the film.

    B. Saroja Devi as 'Rathna' in a still from the film 'Nadodi Mannan' (1958)

    B. Saroja Devi as ‘Rathna’ in a still from the film ‘Nadodi Mannan’ (1958)

  • In 1958, Saroja Devi was cast as Manimekalai in M.G. Ramachandran’s ambitious adaptation of a historical fiction novel titled ‘Ponniyin Selvan,’ but the film was shelved midway and never completed.
  • Saroja went on to work with leading Tamil actors like Sivaji Ganesan, M.G. Ramachandran, and Gemini Ganesan.

    B. Saroja Devi and Gemini Ganesan in the film 'Kalyana Parisu' (1959)

    B. Saroja Devi and Gemini Ganesan in the film ‘Kalyana Parisu’ (1959)

  • Saroja Devi and MGR formed a hit pair. The duo starred together in 26 consecutive box office hits.

    B. Saroja Devi and M. G. Ramachandran (as Ravi) in the film 'Kalangarai Vilakkam'

    B. Saroja Devi and M. G. Ramachandran (as Ravi) in the film ‘Kalangarai Vilakkam’

  • In 1958, Saroja Devi appeared in a Tamil film titled ‘Sengottai Singam,’ marking the 25th film of her career.

    B. Saroja Devi in a still from the film 'Sengottai Singam' (1958)

    B. Saroja Devi in a still from the film ‘Sengottai Singam’ (1958)

  • She appeared in several other popular films, such as ‘Kalyana Parisu’ (1959), ‘Thirudadhe’ (1961), ‘Periya Idathu Penn’ (1963), ‘Anbe Vaa’ (1966), ‘Ponmana Selvan’ (1989), and ‘Aadhavan’ (2009).

    B. Saroja Devi (as Geetha) and M. G. Ramachandran (as J. Balasubramaniam) in a still from the film 'Anbe Vaa' (1966)

    B. Saroja Devi (as Geetha) and M. G. Ramachandran (as J. Balasubramaniam) in a still from the film ‘Anbe Vaa’ (1966)

  • In 1959, she made her debut in Hindi cinema with the film ‘Paigham,’ which starred renowned actors like Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala.

    B. Saroja Devi (as Malti) (left), Dilip Kumar (as Ratan Lal) (centre), and Vyjayanthimala (as Manju) (right) in a still from the film 'Paigham' (1959)

    B. Saroja Devi (as Malti) (left), Dilip Kumar (as Ratan Lal) (centre), and Vyjayanthimala (as Manju) (right) in a still from the film ‘Paigham’ (1959)

  • In the 1960s, Saroja Devi primarily worked in romantic films; however, from the late 1960s to the 1980s, she appeared in emotional and socially meaningful films.
  • In 1963, Saroja played the role of ‘Shantha’ in the Tamil film ‘Iruvar Ullam,’ which marked the 50th film of her career.

    B. Saroja Devi with Sivaji Ganesan (as Selvam) in a still from the film 'Iruvar Ullam' (1963)

    B. Saroja Devi with Sivaji Ganesan (as Selvam) in a still from the film ‘Iruvar Ullam’ (1963)

  • In 1965, Saroja Devi starred as ‘Saraswathi’ in the Tamil film ‘Thaayum Magalum,’ which marked the 75th film of her career.

    A poster of the film 'Thaayum Magalum' (1965)

    A poster of the film ‘Thaayum Magalum’ (1965)

  • In 1967, ‘Pen Endral Pen’ marked Saroja’s 100th appearance on screen. She played the role of ‘Usha’ in this Tamil film.

    A poster of the film 'Pen Endral Pen' (1967)

    A poster of the film ‘Pen Endral Pen’ (1967)

  • After her marriage in 1967 and the growing popularity of actresses like J. Jayalalithaa and K. R. Vijaya, Saroja Devi’s pairing with actor M.G. Ramachandran (aka MGR) came to an end.

    B. Saroja Devi and M. G. Ramachandran in a film

    B. Saroja Devi and M. G. Ramachandran in a film

  • After 1968, she gradually stepped back from Tamil films and became more involved in Kannada cinema.
  • In 1969, Saroja Devi appeared as ‘Ganga’ in the Tamil film Thangamalar. It was her 125th film.

    A poster of the film 'Thangamalar' (1969)

    A poster of the film ‘Thangamalar’ (1969)

  • Saroja withdrew from the film ‘Ladies Hostel’ in 1985 after her husband’s health declined. After he died in 1986,  she took a year-long break from acting and avoided social interactions.
  • Saroja Devi got back to work in 1987, and ‘Ladies Hostel’ turned out to be a hit. Despite its success, she decided not to act in any more films afterwards.
  • Between 1987 and 1990, eight of her previously signed films, including ‘Thaimel Aanai’ and ‘Dharma Devan’, hit the screens. These were projects she had agreed to before 1986.
  • In 1989, Saroja featured in the Tamil film ‘Dharma Devan.’ This marked her 150th film.

    B. Saroja Devi in the film 'Dharma Devan' (1989)

    B. Saroja Devi in the film ‘Dharma Devan’ (1989)

  • In 1993, Saroja Devi appeared as ‘Meenakshi’ in the Tamil film ‘Paarambariyam,’ which was her 175th screen appearance.
  • Saroja Devi contributed beyond the screen by serving as Chairperson of the National Film Awards Jury in 1998 and 2005, acting as Vice-President of the Kannada Chalanachitra Sangha, and being part of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam’s local advisory panel.
  • In 2007, Saroja Devi appeared as a school principal in the Kannada short film ‘Prarambha.’
  • Saroja worked in nearly 200 films across multiple languages, including Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi, in a career spanning over seven decades.
  • In 2010, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan introduced the ‘Padma Bhushan B. Saroja Devi National Award’ to honour lifetime achievements in the performing arts annually.
  • Saroja also appeared in a few television shows, including ‘Kodeeswari’ (2020), which aired on Colors Tamil.

    B. Saroja Devi (right) in a still from the show 'Kodeeswari' (2020)

    B. Saroja Devi (right) in a still from the show ‘Kodeeswari’ (2020)

  • In 2021, actress Regina Cassandra portrayed B. Saroja Devi in the Hindi-Tamil bilingual film ‘Thalaivii’.
  • Saroja Devi had a few personal rules she stuck to, like avoiding swimsuits and sleeveless blouses in her films. Her mother set these rules, and Saroja followed them throughout her career.
  • Saroja became a fashion icon for many women during her time. Fans widely imitated her elegant sarees, matching blouses, and stylish hairdos.

    B. Saroja Devi

    B. Saroja Devi

  • On 14 July 2025, B. Saroja Devi passed away at the age of 87 at her residence in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, due to age-related health issues. As per her wish, her eyes were donated to Narayana Nethralaya in Bengaluru.
  • Her last rites were held on 15 July 2025, in her native village of Dasavara, Channapatna taluk, Ramanagara district, Karnataka, following Vokkaliga customs.