Rise to stardom

Saroja Devi's debut movie and also her first major success was Honnappa Bhagavatar's Kannada film Mahakavi Kalidasa (1955), in which she played a supporting role. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada. Next, she acted in B. R. Panthulu's Tamil film Thangamalai Ragasiyam (1957), in which she performed a dance sequence.^[11] She is one of the very few actresses who starred in kannada,tamil,telugu and hindi in 1950's.

Subsequently, she was noted by M. G. Ramachandran (MGR), who cast her as the female lead in Nadodi Mannan (1958), the movie that made her one of the most popular actresses in Tamil Nadu. She was then signed up for the Hindi film Paigham (1959), in which her co-stars included Dilip Kumar. She went on to work in other leading Hindi actors, including Rajendra Kumar in Sasural (1961), Sunil Dutt in Beti Bete (1964) and Shammi Kapoor in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1963). She also shot a few scenes with Raj Kapoor for Nazrana (1961), but was replaced by Vyjayanthimala after a conflict with the director C. V. Sridhar.^[12]

Following the success of Nadodi Mannan, she was also cast opposite the leading Tamil actors of that time: with Gemini Ganesan in Kalyana Parisu (1959), with Sivaji Ganesan in Bhaaga Pirivinai (1959) and again with MGR in Thirudadhe (1961).^[4] Her involvement in Tamil films also continued with superhits like Palum Pazhamum (1961), Vazhkai Vazhvatharke (1964), Aalayamani (1962), Periya Idathu Penn (1963), Puthiya Paravai (1964), Panakkara Kudumbam (1964), Enga Veetu Pillai (1965) and Anbe Vaa (1966). She came to be known as a "lucky mascot" for MGR films and acted with him in 26 films.^[13]

Her early successes in Kannada cinema included Chintamani (1957), School Master (1958) and Jagajyothi Basveshwara (1959). Her performance as a patriotic anti-British queen in the Kannada Kittooru Rani Chennamma (1961) was widely acclaimed. In 1964, she and Kalyan Kumar acted in the first full-fledged Kannada colour movie Amarashilpi Jakanachaari.

Saroja Devi also achieved success in Telugu films, starring opposite N. T. Rama Rao in Seetarama Kalyanam (1961), Jagadeka Veeruni Katha (1961) and Daagudu Moothalu (1964). Amara Shilpi Jakkanna (1964, remake of Kannada film) and Rahasyam, her film Pelli Kaanuka (1960) with Akkineni Nageswara Rao, were also successful. The first Telugu film featured dubbing; wherein, Krishna Kumari dubbed her voice in Panduranga Mahatyam (1957). But in the subsequent years, Saroja Devi learnt Telugu language. Her Hindi films included Sasural (1960), Opera House (1961), Pareeksha, Hong Kong (1962) and Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (1963), which became successful. In 1962 she was crowned "Chaturbhaasha Taare", because of her popularity in these four languages.^[14]

The pair of MGR-Saroja Devi gave 26 back-to-back hit films together,^[15] which included 1: Nadodi Mannan (1958), 2: Thirudathe (1961), 3: Thaai Sollai Thattadhe (1961), 4: Paasam (1962), 5: Kudumba Thalaivan (1962), 6: Maadappura (1962), 7: Thayai Katha Thanayan (1963), 8: Dharmam Thalai Kaakkum (1963), 9: Needhikkuppin Paasam (1963), 10: Dheiva Thaai (1964), 11: Padagotti (1964), 12: Aasai Mugam (1965), 13: Nadodi (1966), 14: Thali Bhagyam (1966), 15: Naan Aanaiyittal (1966), 16: Petralthan Pillaiya (1966) and 17: Arasa Kattalai (1967). Her best performances opposite MGR were the "rich girl" roles: 18: Panathottam (1963), 19: Periya Idathu Penn (1963), 20: Panakkara Kudumbam (1964), 21: En Kadamai (1964), 22: Thaayin Madiyil (1964), 23: Enga Veettu Pillai (1965), 24: Kalangarai Vilakkam (1965), 25: Anbe Vaa (1966) and 26: Parakkum Paavai (1966).^{[citation needed]} The women adored her dressing sense and her saris and blouses, ornaments, hairstyles were copied by girls and women.^[16]

In the 1960s, Saroja Devi became a fashion icon among the South Indian women, who mimicked her saris, blouses, jewellery, hairstyles and mannerisms. In particular, her saris and jewellery from the Tamil movies Enga Veettu Pillai (1965) and Anbe Vaa (1966) were popularized widely in magazines.^[17]

The pairing of Sivaji Ganesan and Saroja Devi gave 22 back-to-back hit movies: 1: Thangamalai Ragasiyam (1957), 2: Sabaash Meena (1958), 3: Engal Kudumbam Perisu (1958), 4: Bhaaga Pirivinai (1959), 5: School Master (Hindi) (1959), 6: Irumbu Thirai (1960), 7: Vidivelli (1960), 8: Palum Pazhamum (1961), 9: Paarthaal Pasi Theerum (1962), 10: Valar Pirai (1962), 11: Aalayamani (1962), 12: Kulamagal Radhai (1963), 13: Iruvar Ullam (1963), 14: Kalyaniyin Kanavan (1963) and 15: Puthiya Paravai (1964)

Post-marriage career

After 1968, Saroja Devi's career in Tamil cinema gradually declined, and she became more active in Kannada movies.^[18] With her marriage in 1967 and the rise of younger heroines like K. R. Vijaya and Jayalalithaa producers stopped pairing her opposite MGR. Her last film with MGR was Arasa Kattalai (1967), which also starred Jayalalithaa. She continued starring in Tamil movies opposite Sivaji Ganesan after her marriage: 16: En Thambi (1968), 17: Anbalippu (1969), 18: Anjal Petti 520 (1969), 19: Arunodhayam (1971), 20: Thenum Paalum (1971), 21: Paarambariyam (1993) and 22: Once More (1997).^{[citation needed]}

She worked with Gemini Ganesan in Pen Endral Pen (1967), Panama Pasama (1968), Thamarai Nenjam (1968), Ainthu Latcham (1969), Thanga Malar (1969), Kula Vilakku (1969), Malathi (1970) and Kann Malar (1970).^{[citation needed]}

With Ravichandran she acted in the successful films Odum Nadhi (1969), Snegithi (1970), Malathi (1970), and Pathu Matha Bandham (1974).

With R. Muthuraman, she starred in Arunodhayam (1971), Uyir (1971) and Pathu Matha Bandham (1974), which was her last Tamil film as a lead actor until 1985.

She continued to be among the highest-paid actresses in Kannada and Telugu films. She was cast opposite the leading actor Dr. Rajkumar in several Kannada films, including Mallammana Pavada (1969), Nyayave Devaru (1971), Sri Srinivasa Kalyana (1974), Babruvahana (1977) and Bhagyavantharu (1977). Her other successful films from this period include Thande Makkalu (1971), Papa Punya (1971), Gunavanthudu (1975), Katha Sangama (1976), Sri Renukadevi Mahathme (1977), with Chiranjeevi, then with Vishnuvardhan in Shani Prabhava (1977) and Rudranaga (1984).

In Telugu cinema, she was cast opposite N. T. Rama Rao in films like Bhagyachakram (1968), Uma Chandi Gowri Sankarula Katha (1968), Vijayam Manade (1970), Mayani Mamatha (1970), Shakuntala and Daana Veera Soora Karna (1979).

In her long career she chiefly opted for romantic films only in the 1960s and later sentimental and socially relevant films right from the late 1960s to the 1980s. Sri Renukadevi Mahathme, a Kannada film released in 1977 was Saroja Devi's 150th film in her career and by 1984, she had completed 161 films as the main lead heroine, without ever playing supporting roles. Yarivanu, in Kannada, was the 161st film, in which she played the main lead heroine.

After husband's death

Saroja Devi signed up for the film Ladies Hostel in 1985, but stopped shooting after her husband fell ill. He subsequently died in 1986, and she did not shoot or even meet non-family people for one year after his demise. She resumed shooting only in 1987. Ladies Tailor proved a successful film, but Saroja Devi refused to sign up for any more films. She completed the eight films that she had accepted before 1986, and these were released during 1987–1990. These included Thaimel Aanai (1988) and Dharma Devan (1989).

After completing her pending projects, Saroja Devi took a break of about five years from films. She returned to acting on the insistence by film producers and her fans, but, contrary to her previous record, she no longer accepted romantic roles. She starred opposite Sivaji Ganesan in Parambariyam (1993) in a lead role as a matron, and then performed a few roles as a supporting actress. In Kannada films, her notable supporting performances included her roles in Anuraga Sangama (1995) and Agni IPS (1997). She and Sivaji Ganesan acted in the Tamil film Once More (1997), which also includes scenes from their 1963 film Iruvar Ullam. Her latest film in Tamil was the film Aadhavan (2009), in which she played a judge's mother.^[19]

Twice in 1998 and 2005, Saroja Devi chaired film juries: the 45th National Film Awards and the 53rd National Film Awards jury.^[20][21] She served as the vice-president of Kannada Chalanchitra Sangha, and as a member of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams's local advisory committee. She runs a successful business.^[2] She also served as the Chairperson of the Karnataka Film Development Corporation,^[22] which had been set up as a private limited company by her and a few other film personalities in 1972.^[23]

Saroja Devi is now settled in Bangalore, where she is involved in social work. She has organized many donation camps in the name of her husband and her mother. She is also involved with charitable trusts, rehabilitation centers and health programs.

Her most recent work is Natasaarvabhowma, which released in 2019.