{{Short description|Indian actress and comedian}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}} {{Infobox person | name = M. Saroja | image = M. Saroja.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = 1933 | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date|df=yes|2012|04|02}} | death_place = Chennai | other_names = | alma_mater = | occupation = Actress, Comedian | spouse = {{marriage |K. A. Thangavelu|1959|1994|end=d.}} | children = Sumathi (b. 1961) }}
'''M. Saroja''' was an Indian actress and comedian who worked in Tamil cinema. She was frequently paired alongside K. A. Thangavelu.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rangarajan |first=Malathi |date=2012-04-05 |title=Saroja will stay on |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/saroja-will-stay-on/article3283900.ece |access-date=2022-08-05 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
==Career== Director K. Subramaniam introduced Saroja to the film industry, when she was 14 years old. She played the role of leading Tamil actor M. G. Ramachandran’s cousin in the film ''Sarvadhikari'', her debut. Later on, she continued to act in more than 300 films in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada languages. The most important film in her career was the ''Kalyana Parisu'' in which she paired with her husband K. A. Thangavelu.<ref name="TAMIL">{{cite web |date=3 April 2012 |title=Actress M Saroja passes away |url=http://tamilomovie.com/tamil-actress-news/6557-actress-m-saroja-passes-away |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405202900/http://tamilomovie.com/tamil-actress-news/6557-actress-m-saroja-passes-away |archivedate=2012-04-05 |accessdate=2012-04-13 |website=Tamilomovie.com}}</ref><ref name="AP">{{cite news |date=2 April 2012 |title=Veteran actress M Saroja passes away |work=Times of AP |publisher= |url=http://timesofap.com/cinema/veteran-actress-m-saroja-passes-away/ |url-status=dead |access-date=6 April 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729072027/http://timesofap.com/cinema/veteran-actress-m-saroja-passes-away/ |archive-date=29 July 2012 |accessdate=}}</ref>
==Personal life== On the 100th day celebrations of ''Kalyana Parisu'', Saroja and Thangavelu got married in Madurai Murugan Temple. They have a daughter Sumathi. Thangavelu died in 1994.<ref name=TAMIL/><ref name=AP/>
==Death== On 2 April 2012, she died due to cardiac arrest at her home in T. Nagar, Chennai. She was 79 years old.<ref name=TAMIL/><ref name=AP/>
==Awards== The Tamil Nadu Government felicitated her with Kalaimamani Award in appreciation.<ref name=TAMIL/> She also won the Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award - Sivaji Ganesan Award in 2002.
==Filmography (partial)== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year || Film || Role !Notes |- |1951 |Sarvadhikari |Karpagam |Debut movie |- | 1953 ||Gumastha|| Pappi | |- |1953 |Marumagal | | |- | 1954 ||Pudhu Yugam|| | |- | 1955 ||Kaveri|| | |- | 1957 ||Pathini Deivam|| | |- |1957 |Aravalli | | |- |1957 |Karpukkarasi | | |- |1958 |Mangalya Bhagyam | | |- |1958 |Boologa Rambai | | |- | 1959 ||Kalyana Parisu|| | |- |1959 |Nalla Theerpu | | |- |1959 |Vannakili | | |- |1959 |Engal Kuladevi | | |- |1959 |Manaiviye Manithanin Manickam | | |- |1960 |Maa Babu | |Telugu |- |1960 |Deivapiravi | | |- | 1960 ||Adutha Veetu Penn|| | |- |1960 |Puthiya Pathai | | |- |1961 |Arasilankumari | | |- |1961 |Thirudathe | | |- |1961 |Marutha Nattu Veeran | | |- |1961 |Manapanthal | | |- |1962 |Paarthaal Pasi Theerum | | |- |1963 |Arivaali | | |- |1968 |Thillana Mohanambal | | |- |1976 |Idhaya Malar | | |- |1980 |Muyalukku Moonu Kaal | | |- |1980 |Thunaivi Thozhan | | |- |1983 |Oppandham | | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Saroja, M.}} Category:2012 deaths Category:Tamil comedians Category:Indian Tamil people Category:People from Tamil Nadu Category:Place of birth missing Category:1933 births Category:Indian film actresses