Smt. S. Janaki, the gifted singer is no doubt, the undisputed melody queen of the South. For years, we have been listening to her sweet voice convey the beauty of the birds and the flowers. Her magical and stimulating voice airs our joys and sorrows, dreams and aspirations. She sways the hearts of music lovers - soothing and stirring them or bringing tears to their eyes, with her mellifluous voice.
Janaki is not only a musician but also a magician. She does wonders with her voice and changes her tone to match each and every stage of human life. Her range of singing is very wide while it encompasses the songs that are worshipful, mellisonant, off-colored, rebellious and imitative. She walks mutely and pleasingly into the hearts of audience with her soulful and stirring voice. Janaki has a sweet voice that can reach high pitches with consummate ease.
Janaki has been lilting the south Indian film music lovers with her uninterrupted singing for several decades. At sixty plus, and after 15,000 songs in various Indian languages including over a hundred in Hindi, the evergreen singer is uncontaminated by age, going strong and still sweet as honey. She is a strong believer in self-learning, and has come up with sheer hard work and commitment to music.
A devotee of Lord Krishna and Shirdi Sai Baba, she spends a lot of time praying. “
Do you know how I perform?” she asks. “
The truth is that I don't sing at all. It is Krishna, the dweller of my heart, who sings,” says Janaki. Apart from singing, she also likes to draw pictures, sew and paint a little bit.
In the BeginingJanaki was born on April 23, 1938 in Palapatla, Repalle Taluk, in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. She was a child prodigy who took to singing at a tender age of three, kindled by music programs on radio. She was taught her early music lessons by Sree Paidiswamy at Rajamundhry, until she was ten.
Her father-in-law, a music artiste, who was nicknamed “fun doctor” Chandrasekharam, recognized her penchant for music and nurtured it. She learned to modulate her voice on a wide range from a three year-old to an eighty year old! She acquired a second prize from the former President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad in 1956, at a competition held by All India Radio. Mr. Chandrasekharam later took her to Chennai and introduced her to AVM Studios in 1957. Singer P. Suseela's contract with AVM was over and the company was looking for a new voice. At the audition test at AVM, music directors R. Sundarsanam and Govardhanam heard the young singer from Andhra Pradesh sing Lata Mangeshkar's "
Rasik Balma," and was impressed. Janaki started her career as a staff singer at AVM, and got instantaneous appreciation for her charismatic voice.
Her voice is so captivating that during one of her performances, people gathered to watch a nearby film shooting joined her program. This got her the first break as a playback singer after which, she never looked back. Through the first year of her career she sang almost 100 songs in six languages, without much effort, which was a record in those days. Thereafter she kept on climbing up her career ladder.
Early DaysJanaki's first song was in Tamil for the film
Vidhiyin Vilayattu, recorded on April 4, 1957, and was a pathos song under the music direction of Sri. T. Chalapathi Rao. Strangely enough, the film never came out. About the film never getting released, Janaki playfully remarks that “
Vidhi” indeed “
Vilayadithu.” The very next day, she sang her very first Telugu song, “
Nee Aasa Adiyaasa Chejaare Manipoosa Brathukantaa Amavaasa Lambaadolla Ramdaasa…,” for the film
M.L.A., produced and directed by Sri Tilak. It was a pathos again, sung as a duet with Late Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao, which is remembered even today as one of the classics of Telugu film music. The song was penned by Sri. Arudra, and was sung under the music direction of Sri. Pendyala Nageswara Rao, Even her first Sinhalese song was a pathos recorded at AVM.
Janaki became sensational with her first experimental song (light classical), "
Singaravelane Deva…" in 1958, under the music direction of Late S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, for the Tamil film Konjum Salangai. In the song, her voice competes with the Nadaswaram played by Late Karaikuruchi Arunachalam. The music director tested so many others’ voices to suit the notes played on Nadaswaram, as demanded by the scene, and finally chose Janaki. This song was appreciated and applauded by one and all in the South and also in the North and brought her laurels. She sang the Telugu version of this song, "
Nee Leela Padeda Deva…" in the film
Muripinche Muvvalu. Subsequently in 1961, Pendyala gave her a break with a solo song “Neeli Meghaalalo Gaali Kerataalalo Neevu Paade Paata…” in the film
Baavaamaradallu” in the year 1961. The song won her critical acclaim from many music directors, and helped her get more chances to sing good songs.
Two years after she made a name for herself with the song "
Singaravelane Deva…,” Janaki debuted in Malayalam films. Her first Malayalam song, incidentally, a pathos too, was for the film Minnunnathellam Ponnalla, and was recorded at AVM. Pronouncing Malayalam words was a big challenge for her. But she worked hard on the language, under the guidance of music composers and lyricists, and managed to speak it clearly. A fan of hers, Leela Chacko, used to call her up frequently, sometimes even in the wee hours. Janaki remembers that Leela became one of her good friends, and that speaking to her, Janaki’s Malayalam improved.
Comprehending her work in the industry for more than four decades, she has sung thousands of songs for almost five generations of heroines. She sang several unforgettable songs with the association of the maestros of music. She even rendered thousands of songs in Kannada leaving a lasting impression in the hearts of Kannada fans. There is one song that Janaki remembers as a particularly difficult one to sing: “It was in a Kannada movie, and was composed in two different ragams. The lyrics were like a tongue twister…” she recalls.
CareerJanaki, apart from being a prolific singer, is also a good lyricist and a very good music composer. Seeing her caliber, producer Ramoji Rao chose her as music director for his Telugu film Mouna Poraatam, in the year 1988. She is the third lady music director in Telugu Cinema field, after Bhanumati and P. Leela. She has also written lyrics for a number of songs in Tamil and Telugu. Janaki sang a sensational Tamil song for a small girl of 3 or 4 years old in a child's voice that paved the way for a variety of “child songs” in different languages in her voice. Her voice did wonders when she sang for a sixteen-year-old boy, a grown up lady, a very old woman, and some rustic songs. Her magical voice represents that of a baby, an adolescent, and even of a man's. She let her voice strolled to get consorted with great instrumentalists like
Bismillah Khan (on Shehnai for a Kannada film),
M.S. Gopalakrishnan (on Violin for a Kannada film),
Karaikuruchi Arunachalam (on Nadaswaram for a Tamil film),
Naamagiri Pettai Krishnan (on Nadaswaram for a Malayalam film) and
Hari Prasad Chaurasia (on Flute for Malayalam & Telugu films).
She moulds her voice according to the artiste for whom she renders a song. Sometimes she even adds certain breathtaking special effects into her songs. In the Malayalam song “Nadha Nee Varum…,” for the film Chamaram, she included a soft laughter that leaves the listener with goosebumps. She laughs melodiously for the Telugu song “Sirimalle Puvvalle Navvu…” in the film Jyothi, which was released in 1976 under the music direction of Chakravarthi. She brought out a typical child's voice for the Telugu songs “Gunnamaamidi Komma Meeda…” in the film Baalamithrula Katha, in 1973, and “Govullu Thellana Gopayya Nallana…” in the film Saptapadi, in 1981. Her Malayalam song, “Kokkaamandi Konanirachi…,” with the voice of a baby girl, left listeners awestruck. She even imitated a drunkard's voice in the song “Paapa Peru Malli… Ooru Kotta Dhilli…” in the film Mouna Geetham.
According to Janaki, her voice is God's gift. She neither practices nor does anything to maintain or improve her voice. She believes that God maintains it for her. All she does is avoid ice cream and cold drinks. She just goes to the recording room or the stage and sings, leaving everything to God. Janaki normally gets not much of a notice before she has to sing at a recording. The music directors usually call her up on the phone and ask her to go for recording of the song the next day.
Compared to singing at a studio recording, Janaki likes to perform live on stage. She opines that the enjoyment of the audience is what makes any singer happy. She thanks God for whatever she is and whatever she has been able to do. Janaki says that she will keep singing as long as her fans want her to. She thanks all her fans for supporting her.
AwardsJanaki, recipient of innumerable awards, has the remarkable distinction of having rendered 15,000 songs in 15 different languages namely Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Sinhalese, Bengali, Oriya, English, Sanskrit, Konkani, Tulu, Saurashtra, Baduga and German, which is a veritable feat that carved a permanent niche for her.
She won All India Radio Second Prize (1956) from the then President of India Late Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Janaki has bagged many awards as the “Best Female Play-Back Singer.” She has received many awards from various government and non-government institutions as recognition for her great singing talent.
Janaki has performed many stage shows world wide, for light-music troupes like Swaramaadhuri, the troupe that has over 1000 artistes and singers associated, and has the distinction of rendering over 5000 concerts in the past. Janaki won the first national award for the song “Senthoora Poove…” in the Tamil film Padhinaru Vayathinile, under the music direction of Ilaiyaraja. She won Tamil Nadu State Government award six times, Andhra Pradesh State Government award six times, “Kalai Maamani” in 1986, “Sur Singaar” in 1987, “Singer of the Century” award, and “Bharatidas” award. The Andhra Pradesh Kalavedika complimented her with “Sangeeta Ratna” award and one lakh rupees, on The 100 Years of Cinema festival. She won four national awards. She was honored for her outstanding contribution to South Indian cinema. Her song “Ee Duryoadhana Dussaasana…” in Pratighatana, composed by Chakravarthi, secured her the Best Singer award for the year1986. She was also honored with the Cinema “Achiever Award” by the Government of Kerala in the year 2002. She has won awards for her songs in the Malayalam film Oppol, Telugu film Sithara (which had the same music composition as the Tamil song “Thoorathil Naan Kanda…” in the movie Nizhalgal). She also won the award for the fourth time for the song “Inji Iduppazhaga…” in the Tamil film Devar Magan. She has received many State Film awards during 1969 – 2001, as a female playback singer for singing in different films. She has also acquired an award by Sangeetha Ganga Gayana Organization. After her husband's demise she almost broke off singing for films. She is now totally indulged in making her own albums like devotional songs of Meera etc.
FamilyJanaki is married to Sri. V. Rama Prasad. Her son Mr. V. Murali Krishna, who has an audio business of his own, has acted in a couple of movies, one being Sruthilayalu. He is now acting in some T.V. serials. Her father-in-law is the famous mono actor, Fun Dr. V. Chandrasekharam. Her daughter-in-law, Uma Murali Krishna, is a classical dancer, adept at both Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi and is a recipient of the title "Yuva Kala Bharathi." Janaki is blessed with two lovely granddaughters, Amruthavarshini and Apsara.
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ജാനകി അമ്മയുടെ തിരഞ്ഞെടുത്ത നൂറോളം മലയാള ഗാനങ്ങള് ഞാനിവിടെ പങ്കു വയ്ക്കുന്നു പാട്ടുകളുടെ വരികളും , പിന്നണിയില് പ്രവര്ത്തിച്ചവരെയും ലഭ്യമായത്ര ഉള്കൊള്ളിക്കുവാന് ശ്രമിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട് . Songwise alphabetically arranged. 
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