The word “legendary” is often used rather loosely, but it is an appropriate adjective to describe playback singer, S. Janaki – a singer who has recorded more than 48 000 songs in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu, Odia, Tulu, Punjabi, Badaga, Bengali, Konkani, English, Japanese, German and Sinhala.
If that list of songs does not drop jaws, one can add that she was actively involved in the film and recording industries for over six decades. Her career also includes 4 national awards, 28 state awards from 4 states, 15 special awards and literally dozens of others. Notably, she has won state awards under the music of MS Viswanathan, Illaiyaraja and AR Rahman.
Widely recognized as India’s most talented and versatile singer, S Janaki’s songs reflect the vast ranges she has in her voice, pitch and singing styles.
Janaki-Amma’s mother tongue is Telugu but she was born and raised in Tamil Nadu. She started her playback singing by singing a Tamil song from the film Vidhiyin Villaiyaatu. She shot to prominence with the song Singara Velane Deva from Konjum Salangai.In her first year in the recording industry, she recorded songs in six languages – a rare feat.
Janaki-Amma recorded the most number of songs in Kannada, with the second most being in Malayalam. From then mid-1970s to the 1990s, the combination of Illaiyaraja, S.P. Balasubramanyam and S Janaki produced some of the best loved songs of Tamil cinema. Janaki-Amma and Illaiyaraja sang more than 200 duets together.
Although she is fun-loving, amiable and very compassionate, she showed great strength of character when she rejected the Padma Bhooshan award conferred on her by the Government of India. She maintained that the recognition was too little, too late and indicative of the general failure of the Indian Government to recognize South Indian artists.
From 1970 to 1984, Janaki-Amma won the Kerala State Award for Best Singer eleven times – the most awarded non-Malayalee singer in Malayalam.
S. Janaki turns 87 today. Sigaram wishes her a good health and happiness.
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