Ace cameraman of the yesteryears, B. S. Basavaraj, now 84 years old, was found at his Basaveshwaranagara residence, working on a documentary about Sundarnath Nadkarni. He spoke at length about the late doyen actress Dr. Saroja Devi and saluted her for her discipline and dedication to work.
“Dr. Saroja Devi truly deserved the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. She was a genuine actress held in the highest esteem within the profession. I don’t know how such a legendary actress was overlooked,” says Basavaraj, who worked as a cinematographer on two assignments with Dr. Saroja Devi.
The first was the superhit Kannada film Bhagyavantharu, which also starred Dr. Rajkumar. It was produced by Dwarakish and directed by Bhargava. “Dr. Saroja Devi was extremely professional and punctual. Her time sense, costumes, dialogue delivery, and screen presence were models for budding actors. She would often bring sweets to the set and share them with all of us,” he fondly recalls.
The second project Basavaraj worked on with Dr. Saroja Devi was her small-screen debut in the 120-episode television serial Bhumika for Suprabhata Television Channel. “We met again after many years, and she warmly remembered the past and exchanged pleasantries. Even in the small-screen format, as the head of a large family in Bhumika, she displayed the same exemplary professionalism,” says Basavaraj.
However, he laments that Dr. Saroja Devi was unable to receive the South Indian Cinematographers Association (SICA) award meant for artistes with over 80 years of contribution. “That year, there was a piquant situation due to preference and protocol, as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was present on the dais. The award instead went to Abhinaya Sharade Jayanthi. Sadly, the SICA award never reached the legendary Dr. Saroja Devi.”
Reflecting on the life and legacy of Dr. Saroja Devi, who held pride of place across five languages, the veteran cameraman says, “No one can surpass her achievements.”
“Dr. Saroja Devi undoubtedly lingers in memory forever,” says B. S. Basavaraj.