Saroja Devi and MGR: A timeless on-screen pair that headlined a golden era of Tamil cinema

Celebrated veteran actor B. Saroja Devi (87) had a stellar career in the Tamil cinema industry, often sharing screen space with several leading veteran actors like M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), Shivaji Ganesan and many others in the 70s and 80s. Popularly known as 'Kannadathu Payinkili' (Kannada's parrot), Saroja Devi was particularly famed for her successful on-screen pairing with MGR.

Since her first casting with MGR in the blockbuster 'Nadodi Mannan' (1958), Saroja Devi went on to do 26 films opposite him.

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The popular song 'Rajavin Paarvai Raniyin Pakkam', which has MGR and Saroja Devi riding on a chariot, is a peppy number even today. Some other examples of films she did with him are 'Thaai Sollai Thathadhe', 'Thaayai Katha Thanayan' and 'Anbe Vaa'.

Saroja Devi—with a successful career spanning 200 films across four languages in the South Indian film industry—got her first opportunity in a Kannada film at the age of 17.

From there, director K. Subramaniam (who had earlier directed a Kannada film 'Kalidas') got her to perform opposite MGR in 'Nadodi Mannan'.

Though 'Nadodi Mannan' was a huge success and was celebrated by the DMK (which MGR had been a member of back then), Saroja Devi did not get many films with the legendary actor for a while after. Indeed, for the next one full year, she did not have any films with MGR. 

In 1961, two films—'Thaai Sollai Thattadhe' and 'Thirudadhe'—and then 'Paasam' in 1962 saw Saroja Devi reunite with MGR on-screen again.

While 'Paasam' was a failure, 'Periya Idathu Penn' (1963) and 'Padakotti' (1964) proved to be successful. The most successful, however, was 'Enga Veetu Pillai' (1965), followed by 'Naan Aanaiyittal' (1966). Then came 1966 hits 'Nadodi', 'Parakkum Paavai' and 'Anbe Vaa'.

In 'Anbe Vaa', the 1966 film written and directed by Thirulokchander, Saroja Devi’s grace and performance added the much-required glamour to an MGR film.

At a time when the cinema industry was male-dominated and the heroines were perceived as a mere addition, her expression, style and eye movements were well-received by the audience then.

With MGR playing the saviour of the oppressed and an ideal man who respects women, Saroja Devi opposite him would play the perfect Indian woman who would oblige the words of the men in the family.

Draped in gorgeous saris, she became a fashion icon in the 1960s and 70s in Tamil Nadu.

On screen, her beautiful chemistry and camaraderie with MGR made them an ideal pair to a cinema-loving audience fifty years ago; their romantic numbers were, are, and will always be super hits.

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