Legendary South Indian actress B. Saroja Devi has passed away at the age of 87 due to age-related ailments. She died on July 14, 2025, in Bengaluru. Reports indicate that she was found unconscious at her residence in Malleswaram, Bengaluru, and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors confirmed her passing. The actress had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital.

Born on January 7, 1938, in Bangalore (now Bengaluru), Saroja Devi, fondly known as "Abhinaya Saraswathi" in Kannada and "Kannadathu Paingili" in Tamil, was a prominent figure in Indian cinema, particularly in the South. She began her film journey at the age of 17 with the Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa in 1955. Her career spanned nearly two hundred films across Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi languages.

Saroja Devi's rise to stardom was cemented with the Tamil film Nadodi Mannan in 1958, where she starred opposite M.G. Ramachandran. This film propelled her to stardom in Tamil cinema, making her a household name. She is credited as the only Indian actress to play the lead heroine in 161 consecutive films over 29 years, from 1955 to 1984. In Telugu cinema, she debuted with Panduranga Mahatyam (1957) and starred in many successful films until the late 1970s.

Saroja Devi was born into a Vokkaliga family; her father, Bhairappa, was a police officer, and her mother, Rudramma, was a homemaker. Bhairappa encouraged her to learn dancing and pursue acting. She is also known as the first female superstar of Kannada cinema. Saroja Devi received the Padma Shri in 1969 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992 from the Government of India. She also received an honorary doctorate from Bangalore University and the Kalaimamani award from Tamil Nadu.

After her marriage in 1967 and the emergence of younger heroines, Saroja Devi became more active in Kannada movies. Her last film with MGR was Arasa Kattalai (1967). She continued to star in Tamil movies opposite Sivaji Ganesan after her marriage, including En Thambi (1968), Anbalippu (1969), and Anjal Petti 520 (1969). In the 1960s, Saroja Devi became a fashion icon, with South Indian women emulating her sarees, jewelry, hairstyles, and mannerisms. Her sarees and jewellery from the Tamil movies Enga Veettu Pillai (1965) and Anbe Vaa (1966) were widely popularized in magazines. She paired with Gemini Ganesan in 17 movies including Kalyana Parisu (1959) and Vaazha Vaitha Deivam (1959). Her husband, Sri Harsha, passed away in 1986.