Legendary playback singer S. Janaki, known affectionately as Janaki Amma and Nightingale of the South, whose melodious voice enthralled millions of music lovers for several decades, passed in Mysuru on Saturday late evening. Confirming that the south Indian melody queen was no more, her Jgrand daughter Apsara Vydyula, posted on social media: “She left us peacefully, surrounded by the lover o her family. While our hearts are heavy, we are also filled with gratitude for the extraordinary life she lived and the immeasurable joy she brought to millions through her timeless music.” Apsara added, “To the world she was an iconic voice whose songs became part of countless memories. To us, she was a loving grandmother whose warmth, humility, kindness, and grace will remain with us forever.”
A versatile singer, Janaki was one of the busiest playback singers of her time, at ease with romantic numbers, folk music and classical songs. She held her own in duets. Janaki won the National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for “Senthoora Poove” from 16 Vayathinile. Ironically the iconic film’s director Bharathiraja had died only last month. She infused life into the compositions of many famed musicians including Illaiyaraaja and M S Viswanathan. While Janaki belonged to the 1960s and 1970s era sharing fame with contemporaries such as P Susheela and L R Eashwari, she continued to stay relevant in the Millennium as well competing with much younger playback singers. Her versatility was borne out from the fact that she rendered songs in as many as 18 languages,. predominantly in the south Indian languages.
