Entertainment

S Janaki Passes Away at 88: Legendary Singer Voiced 48,000 Songs in Muliple Languages Over 6 Decades

By Samira Vishwas

S. Janaki, the veteran playback singer, has passed away at the age of 88 at a private hospital in Mysuru due to age-related ailments. Affectionately known as “Janaki Amma,” she was admitted to Apollo Hospital in the early hours of Saturday after developing health complications. Hailed as the “Nightingale of South India,” S. Janaki recorded over 48,000 songs in multiple languages across an illustrious career spanning more than six decades. Following the tragic news of her demise, social media has been flooded with heartfelt tributes and mourning from millions of well-wishers and fans.

Who Was S Janaki?

Popularly celebrated as one of India’s greatest musical icons, Janaki began her playback singing career at the age of 19 with the 1957 Tamil film Vidhiyin Vilayattu. Over the next 60 years, she went on to record unforgettable tracks in about 20 languages, including Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi. Born in 1938 in Andhra Pradesh, she received classical music training and learned under the guidance of Nadaswaram vidwan Paidiswamy. Her extraordinary career continued until her retirement from studio recording and live stage performances.

Rise to Fame in South Indian Cinema

Though she delivered hits across multiple regional industries, her career experienced a monumental breakthrough in 1962 when she sang “Singara Velane Deva” for the Tamil film Konjum Salangai. Her flawless execution alongside the intricate notes of the Nadaswaram catapulted her to overnight stardom. By 1971, with the soulful rendering of “Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen,” she had become an irreplaceable pillar of South Indian cinema. Her rare gift for voice modulation transitioning from a sweet-toned heroine to mimicking a child’s voice made her the ultimate muse for legendary composers like M.S. Viswanathan and Ilaiyaraaja.

A Voice Across Languages

Although Janaki’s native language was Telugu, her versatility knew no bounds. Over six decades, she sang for films, solo albums, television broadcasts, and radio programs in languages including Hindi, Odia, Tulu, Urdu, Punjabi, and Bengali. Interestingly, while Kannada was not her mother tongue, it became the language in which she recorded the highest volume of songs in her career, cementing an eternal bond with music lovers in Karnataka.

Awards and Artistic Principles

Janaki was the recipient of four National Film Awards and 33 different State Film Awards across the southern region. In 2013, she famously turned down the Padma Bhushan award conferred by the government. Expressing her disappointment, she noted that the recognition came too late in her career and stated that an artist of her standing should instead be considered for the Bharat Ratna.

Tributes Pour In From Across India

Icons of South Indian cinema, including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Chiranjeevi, paid emotional tributes to the legendary singer. “May her soul, who delighted generations of people with her honey-sweet voice, attain peace,” actor Rajinikanth posted on X.

“The song will forever keep resounding. Where shall I seek that love, Mother? An inconsolable sorrow exists for many. My deepest condolences to them all,” wrote Kamal Haasan on X.

Expressing his grief,Chiranjeevi shared a moving message: “The news of Janakamma garu’s passing has deeply shaken my heart. In my cinematic journey, she lent her unparalleled voice to countless unforgettable songs. It was her voice that breathed life into the many emotions we brought to life on screen. Janakamma garu… your voice is immortal. Om Shanti.”

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The post S Janaki Passes Away at 88: Legendary Singer Voiced 48,000 Songs in Muliple Languages Over 6 Decades appeared first on NewsX.

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