Saroja Devi: Doe-eyed beauty who held audience in thrall
In a career spanning seven decades and over 200 films, she ruled hearts across languages —Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi. While being active in multiple languages was quite normal in those days, the hallmark of her career was her stellar success in each of these industries.
She had an enviable number of superhits with repeated pairings opposite the legends of various industries, including MG Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, and Gemini Ganesan in Tamil, Dr Rajkumar in Kannada, and N T Rama Rao in Telugu.
But it was in Tamil cinema that she shone the brightest, particularly alongside M G Ramachandran (MGR), the iconic superstar, former CM and founder of the AIADMK, who considered her his 'lucky mascot'. They acted in 48 films together and their very first film, Nadodi Mannan (1958), catapulted the 'Kannadathu Paingili' (Kannada's parrot) to superstardom overnight. Some of their other films like Anbe Vaa (1966) and Arasa Kattalai (1967) have been celebrated as cult classics. Her well-known films with legendary Sivaji Ganesan included Bhaaga Pirivinai (1959), Palum Pazhamum (1961), and Aalayamani (1962). She had starred with Sivaji Ganesan in 22 movies.
Her notable works in other languages included Amarashilpi Jakanachari, Bhagyavantharu, Babruvahana, and Katha Sangama in Kannada.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
First glimpse of Dulquer Salmaan's 'Aakasamlo Oka Tara' is OUT: Makers share a warm gesture on his birthday- Watch video
Picture Credit: Instagram Apart from his impactful presence in the Malayalam films, Dulquer Salmaan is also one of the most beloved actors in Telugu cinema and as he just turned a year older, the makers of his upcoming Telugu film, 'Aakasamlo Oka Tara', released the first glimpse from the movie on the actor's birthday. The makers of his upcoming movie shared a small video where Dulquer is seen in a train, seemingly lost in thought, soaking in the quiet around him. The moment is captured with soft lighting and minimalist music, making the atmosphere feel intimate. It ends on a heartwarming note—a young schoolgirl running joyfully across a serene field. Aakasamlo Oka Tara Glimpse | Happy Birthday Dulquer Salmaan | GV Prakash Kumar | Pavan Sadineni Film is like a gentle breeze The film is directed by Pavan Sadineni and the music is composed by GV Prakash. The makers shared the video on social media and captioned it, "Promising you a film that feels like a gentle breeze and a warm hug. Celebrating @dqsalmaan on his special day with the soulful #AOTGlimpse." What fan's have to say While the first look didn't reveal much about the supporting cast or the complete storyline, fans were quick to embrace it. In the comments, a fan anticipated a superhit film incoming as they wrote, "Blockbuster let's go". Another netizen who found the music amusing wrote, "soothing music.. looking forward to see the raise of the Star. Best wishes team. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The 13 Most Luxurious Hotels In The World Undo by Taboola by Taboola Happy Birthday @dqsalmaan", and another fan wrote, "National Awards, Here we come !!". Dulquer's run in Telugu cinema Following 'Mahanati', Dulquer has been enjoying a winning streak in Telugu films with 'Sita Ramam' released in 2022, which was a blockbuster and a financial drama film, 'Lucky Bhaskar' too minting big numbers during its release in 2024. Apart from this film, he will also be seen in 'I'm Game', 'Kaantha', 'Lokah' and others.
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Mohit Suri, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda's ‘Saiyaara' becomes 25th biggest hit of Hindi cinema; records its lowest collection on Monday
After a blockbuster opening week, 's Saiyaara—starring newcomers and Aneet Padda—has finally shown signs of slowing down at the box office. On its 11th day, the film recorded its lowest single-day earnings, collecting just Rs 9.5 crore on its second Monday (early estimates), bringing its total domestic net collection to Rs 256.75 crore. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Mohit Suri Spills On 20 Years In Bollywood - Ahaan & Aneet, Alia Bhatt Dream Collab & More The Monday dip marks a sharp 68.3% fall from Sunday's Rs 30 crore haul, and also highlights the film's first significant weekday fatigue after a dream run. Despite this, Saiyaara managed to climb one position to become the 25th highest-grossing Hindi film of all time, narrowly edging out The Kashmir Files (Rs 252.25 crore). Breakdown of the 11-Day Journey: Opening Weekend (Days 1–3): Rs 83.25 Cr First Week (Days 1–7): Rs 172.75 Cr Second Weekend Surge (Days 8–10): Rs 74.5 Cr Day 11 (2nd Monday): Rs 9.5 Cr (early estimates) Total so far: Rs 256.75 Cr The film's strong second weekend with a sharp uptick on Saturday (Rs 26.5 Cr) and Sunday (Rs 30 Cr) has raised hopes for another Rs 300+ crore blockbuster. However, Monday's drop has only delayed the magical number. Saiyaara still has 3 days of clean run, Friday onwards the film has to compete with another love story Dhadak 2 led by Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri and comedy sequel Son of Sardaar 2 with Ajay Devgn and Mrunal Thakur. Still, Saiyaara's entry into the Top 25 Hindi grossers within just 11 days is no small feat. The film has outperformed several star-driven projects led by superstars like , , Aamir Khan, and Prabhas, a testament to its strong word of mouth and the compelling storytelling of Mohit Suri, who returns to form with this romantic action-drama.
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Thalaivan Thalaivii' OTT release: Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen starrer to stream on THIS platform
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) Vijay Sethupathi and Nithya Menen 's latest film 'Thalaivan Thalaivii' has been lighting up the big screens since its release on July 25, 2025. Directed and written by Pandiraj, the film blends romance, comedy, and action and is getting decent reviews. According to the latest reports, a major streaming platform has bought the rights of 'Thalaivan Thalaivii'. Anticipation for OTT release Even as 'Thalaivan Thalaivii' plays in theatres, anticipation has already begun to grow over its digital premiere. According to OTT Trackers Twitter page reports, the post-theatrical streaming rights have been picked up by Amazon Prime Video. While neither the platform nor the makers have confirmed an official OTT release date, the deal marks a major step for the film's digital reach. Thalaivan Thalaivii - Official Trailer Traditionally, Tamil films that perform well at the box office find their way to streaming platforms within four to six weeks; it depends on viewership trends and contractual terms. Decent responses for the film 'Thalaivan Thalaivii' is not just another release for Vijay Sethupathi, it's his 51st lead role. Santhosh Narayanan has composed the film's music, while M. Sukumar's cinematography and Pradeep E. Ragav's editing contributes to its polished finish. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Susan Boyle Is Now so Thin and Looks Beautiful! Undo The movie is getting decent reviews from both audiences and critics. If you are planning to watch the Nithya Menen starrer then check out an excerpt from our ETimes review that says, "When someone sees the family fight for a whole day, they say, 'Inum ivanga mudikalaya,' and you feel that too. However, Thalaivan Thalaivi becomes one of the very few Tamil films that dig into the life after marriage, something after the beginning of the seemingly 'Happily ever after,' and Pandiraj has crafted a fun, frustrating family padam." The movie is expected to maintain a steady run in cinemas as it seem to have found a liking among the family audiences.
