Sowcar Janaki no more

metro india news I chennai

Veteran South Indian actress Sowcar Janaki, a towering figure of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam cinema, passed away on Friday, August 21, 2026, at the age of 94. Nadigar Sangam President Nassar confirmed the news, stating that the legendary star died at 1:59 pm. Her mortal remains will be placed at Centoph Road in Teynampet from 5 pm for admirers, friends and members of the film fraternity to pay their last respects. 

Janaki had been admitted to Kauvery Hospital in Alwarpet, Chennai, around August 19 due to age-related health issues and was receiving intensive care. Nadigar Sangam members, including Nassar, had visited her earlier. 

Born Sankaramanchi Janaki (also referred to as T. Janaki) on December 12, 1931, in Rajahmundry (then Madras Presidency, now Andhra Pradesh) into a Kannada-speaking Madhva Brahmin family, she was the elder daughter of Tekumalla Venkoji Rao and Sachi Devi. Her younger sister, Krishna Kumari, was also a noted actress. Married in 1947 to Sankaramanchi Srinivasa Rao, she had three children; her granddaughter Vaishnavi is an actress. 

Janaki’s screen career began remarkably early. She made her debut in the 1950 Telugu film Shavukaru (also known as Sowcar), directed by L.V. Prasad and produced by Vijaya Productions, opposite N.T. Rama Rao. The film’s success earned her the enduring prefix “Sowcar” (or Shavukar), distinguishing her from other actresses named Janaki. She entered Tamil cinema in 1952 with Valayapathi. 

Over a career spanning more than seven decades and nearly 400 films, she worked across languages and eras, transitioning seamlessly from leading roles to powerful supporting and character parts. She was known for her versatility—portraying orthodox women, nightclub singers, comic figures, dual roles and matriarchs with equal conviction. Notable Tamil films include Puthiya Paravai (1964, dual role opposite Sivaji Ganesan), Iru Kodugal (1969, directed by K. Balachander, for which she won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress), Kaviya Thalaivi (1970), Ethir Neechal, Uyarndha Manithan, Thillu Mullu (1981, opposite Rajinikanth), Hey Ram (2000) and Biskoth (2020), reported as her 400th film. 

In Telugu, standout works included Rojulu Marayi, Kanyasulkam, Doctor Chakravarthy and Samsaram Oka Chadarangam (Nandi Award for Best Supporting Actress). She appeared in the pioneering Kannada pan-Indian film Mahishasura Mardini (1959) alongside Dr. Rajkumar and worked in Malayalam (School Master, 1964) and even Hindi (Teen Bahuraniyan). She also performed in over 300 stage shows and began as a radio artist. 

Her contributions earned widespread recognition: the Kalaimamani award (1969), Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South (1984), two Nandi Awards, Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award (MGR Award, 1990), SIIMA Lifetime Achievement Award (2013), Rajyotsava Award (Karnataka, 2015) and the Padma Shri in 2022, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour. 

Colleagues and fans remembered her as a disciplined professional who balanced a demanding career with family responsibilities from a young age—she began acting while raising an infant. Her longevity and adaptability made her one of the few actresses to span the golden age of South Indian cinema into the 21st century. The film industry and audiences across South India are mourning the loss of an artist whose nuanced performances enriched generations of storytelling. Condolences continue to pour in as the fraternity prepares to bid a final farewell in Teynampet.