Saroja Devi: The Kannadathu Payinkili and Abinaya Saraswathi of Tamil cinema

The Hindu

14-07-2025

The late veteran actor B. Saroja Devi (87), celebrated as Kannadathu Payinkili and Abinaya Saraswathy in the Tamil film world, starred alongside the great actors of yesteryears — particularly the two top heroes, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Sivaji Ganesan — and dominated the field for decades.
She was cast in MGR's blockbuster Nadodi Mannan in 1958 after being introduced to him by director K. Subramaniam, who had earlier directed the film Kalidas in Kannada. She made her debut humming the song 'Maani thedi machan vara poran' in Nadodi Mannan.
'She had a very photogenic face and was capable of expressive performances. She was one of the magical heroines of Tamil cinema,' said film historian Vamanan. He said through her performances, she became the quintessential Tamil heroine, embodying the lines 'man valaratha perumai ellam manthil valarthavalam' from a song in the film Paaga Pirivinai.
Her pairing with Sivaji Ganesan began with the film Paaga Pirivinai in 1959, directed by Bhim Singh, who went on to direct the well-known 'Pa' series of films. Saroja Devi was also the heroine in Paalum Pazhamum and Paarthal Pasi Theerum.
'She acted with my father in over 20 films, and all her films with my father and MGR were hits. Each of her films was an achievement. She was probably the first (lady) superstar of Tamil cinema and maintained that stature till her last days,' said actor Prabhu, fondly recalling the days she spent with his family.
'She would pinch my cheeks. We remained close and even spent a New Year in Bangalore with her. I will miss her, but her charming and beautiful face, along with her films, will continue to haunt me,' Mr. Prabhu said.
'She acted and spoke naturally, as if she were in real life, and she never opted for dubbing. You should watch the song 'Paalum Pazhamum Kaikalil Enthi' in the film Paalum Pazhamum to understand her talent. She acted without any makeup to reinforce the character of a person afflicted with tuberculosis. She looked like a pet chick cradled in the palm of its owner when appearing alongside Sivaji Ganesan,' said film editor B. Lenin, son of Bhim Singh.
She was also fondly referred to as Abinaya Saraswathi, in recognition of her expressive body language and facial expressions.
'Cinema is a fantasy, and the role of the heroine is to attract the male gaze. Saroja Devi achieved this in a sensible and graceful manner. The song 'Love Birds Love Birds' in Anbe Vaa is a testament to that sensitivity,' said actor and cinematographer Ilavarasu. He described her expressive eyes, well-defined nose, romantic body language, and signature side pose with a 180-degree eye rotation—all of which could tell a thousand stories.
'There's a reason why she was called Abinaya Saraswathi. There were no brushes to embellish the eyes at that time. She just used pencils. The way she modulated her eyebrows was another remarkable talent,' Ilavarasu said.
Her dialogues addressing Sivaji Ganesan as 'Gopal' and her nuanced expressions in the film Puthiya Paravai are considered iconic. 'In the song 'Unnai Ondru Ketpen,' there isn't much of a role for the hero. It is left to her to carry the scene and retain the audience's attention. Beauty alone is not enough to achieve that effect. Only a great actor can do it,' Ilavarasu added.