Veteran Actor Sowcar Janaki Passes Away at 94; Condolences Pour In

Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Legendary actress Sowcar Janaki has passed away. She was 94.

The news of her demise was confirmed by Nasser, actor and president of the South Indian Artistes' Association (Nadigar Sangam), via a public statement.

She had been hospitalised due to age-related health complications and was undergoing treatment in the ICU at a Chennai hospital.

Sowcar Janaki, who breathed her last on August 21, had a career spanning nearly seven decades, working across various South Indian languages. Over the years, she shared the screen with some of the biggest names in Indian cinema, including Sivaji Ganesan, N.T. Rama Rao, A. Nageswara Rao and Dr. Rajkumar.

In 2022, at the age of 90, government conferred the Padma Shri on Janaki in recognition of her lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. She was also honoured with the Tamil Nadu government's Kalaimamani Award and received the Nandi Awards from the Andhra Pradesh government.

Janaki most recently appeared in the 2023 Telugu film Anni Manchi Sakunamule, directed by Nandini Reddy. She also starred in the 2020 Tamil parody film Biskoth, directed by R Kannan.

Janaki is survived by her three children, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Condolences Pour In

Tributes have been pouring in for the legendary actress after news of her demise emerged online.

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Sowcar Janaki, describing her demise as an irreparable loss to the Telugu film industry.

YS Jagan said that in a remarkable career spanning more than seven decades, Sowcar (Sankaramanchi) Janaki acted in over 400 films across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam, leaving an indelible impression on generations of cinema lovers.

He recalled that she acted as a leading lady alongside legendary actors like NT Rama Rao, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, M. G. Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan, and later won admiration for her natural performances in diverse roles as a mother, grandmother and elder matriarch.

YS Jagan said the Padma Shri, Nandi Awards and several other honours reflected her distinguished contribution to Indian cinema and her enduring artistic legacy.

Praying for eternal peace to her soul, YS Jagan conveyed his heartfelt condolences to Sowcar Janaki's family members, admirers and the entire film fraternity.

In a post on X, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actor Vijay expressed his grief.

He wrote, "I was deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of the veteran film actress Mrs. Sowcar Janaki, who secured an indelible place in the hearts of fans across generations through her distinctive acting."

Veteran actor Chiranjeevi also paid his heartfelt condolences.

In a post on X, he wrote, “The news of the demise of the renowned actress and Padma Shri awardee Srividya Janaki garu has caused immense sorrow. Her illustrious cinematic journey, which began with the film 'Shavukaru,' spanned nearly seven decades across Telugu, Tamil, and several other languages. With her natural acting, she breathed life into diverse roles and earned an indelible place in the hearts of audiences. She was a great actress whose contributions to the Indian film industry will remain unforgettable. Praying to the Almighty for eternal peace to the soul of Srividya Janaki garu, I convey my deepest condolences to her family members and fans. Om Shanti.”

Kamal Haasan's tribute to Sowcar Janaki left netizens nostalgic as he reminisced about working with the cinema icon in films.

"We have worked together in many films. She was the mother, I the child. The irreplaceable acting artist of South Indian cinema, Sowcar Janaki. She acted with all the heroes of that time. She was the preferred choice of my guru K. Balachander. She has passed away. A maternal image has departed. I bid her farewell with tears," Kamal Haasan posted.

(With inputs from ANI)