Legendary Kannada actress B Saroja Devi aka ‘Abhinaya Saraswati’ passes away at 87

Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.

B Saroja Devi, one of the most renowned and legendary actresses of Kannada cinema, has passed away. The icon who was popularly known as Abhinaya Saraswati remained one of the most successful actresses of Indian cinema.

B Saroja Devi passes away at 87

The Kannada film industry is mourning the loss of legendary actress B Saroja Devi, who passed away on July 14, 2025. She was 87 and battling geriatric issues, leading to her demise in her Bengaluru home.

Khushbu Sundar mourns the loss of B Saroja Devi

While numerous fans and artists are mourning such a great loss, it was Khushbu Sundar who posted an emotional note as she mourned B Saroja Devi. Taking to X, Khushbu referred to the late actress as ‘Saroja amma’ and recalled sharing a great rapport with the senior actor.

In her words, “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. Rest in peace Amma. Om Shanti.”

Rajinikanth expresses grief on B Saroja Devi's passing away

Superstar Rajinikanth penned a note on Twitter, expessing his profound grief on the demise of B Saroja Devi. He 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."

Kichcha Sudeep pens a note on B Saroja Devi's death

Kannada star Kichcha Sudeep also expressed grief on the passing away news of B Saroja Devi. He offered the departed actor humble salutations and tagged her as the Goddess of Art.

He wrote "Known as the Goddess of Acting, the multilingual star Mrs. Saroja Devi has set out with her charm. Possessing the pride of many languages, she has acted alongside numerous legends, becoming the character itself and remaining eternal on the silver screen. Like a Parijata flower, she has lived a full life with her fragrance and has now departed from us. Humble salutations to the Goddess of Art."

More about Saroja Devi’s life and works

Saroja Devi was born in January 1938 and, besides Kannada, she has worked in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi films as well.

She had been known as the first female superstar of Kannada cinema and achieved a breakthrough in her work at the age of 17. She was also regarded as one of the top stars of Tamil cinema. 

Saroja was awarded the Padma Sri in 1969, and later in 1992, she received the Padma Bhushan award.

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