The demise of legendary playback singer S Janaki has left the music world in mourning. Fondly known as the “Nightingale of South India”, S Janaki died in Mysuru on Saturday, July 11, due to age-related illness, aged 88. She was one of the most versatile voices Indian cinema has ever produced. Over a career spanning over six decades, she recorded over 48,000 songs and entertained generations of music lovers.
S Janaki sang in nearly 20 Indian languages, including Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, Odia, Tulu, Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali. She also recorded songs in English, Japanese, German and Sinhala. Here is a look at some of her most memorable songs and the awards that defined her extraordinary career.
S Janaki’s most popular songs
S Janaki started her playback singing journey in 1957 with the Tamil film Vidhiyin Vilayattu at the age of 19. From there, she went on to become one of the most loved voices in Indian music.
Some of her most popular songs include Singara Velane Deva, Madhyarathrili, Ooru Sanam Thoongidichu, Kanne Kalaimane, Mounamelanoyi, Suvvi Suvvi, Naguva Nayana, Vathil Pazhuthilooden and others. Her duets with legendary singers PB Srinivas, SP Balasubrahmanyam and Dr Rajkumar continue to be cherished by fans even today.
Although she was equally admired in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam cinema, Janaki recorded the highest number of songs in Kannada. Fans in Karnataka affectionately called her “Gaana Kogile”, a title that reflected her immense popularity in the state.
Notable celebrities, including Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi Konidela and Anirudh Ravichander, paid heartfelt tributes to S Janaki on social media.
S Janaki’s awards and achievements
S Janaki’s contribution to Indian music earned her several prestigious honours. During her illustrious career, she received four National Film Awards and 33 State Film Awards. In 2013, S Janaki declined the Padma Bhushan, saying she should have received the honour much earlier. She also said she believed she deserved the Bharat Ratna for her contribution to Indian music.
For the unversed, S Janaki is survived by her granddaughter Apsara Vydyula. Details about her funeral are awaited.
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