S. Janaki
S. Janaki | |
---|---|
Genres | Playback singing, Indian classical |
Occupation | Singer |
Instrument | Vocals |
Years active | 1957–present |
S. Janaki (Template:Lang-te; born April 23, 1938) is an Indian female playback singer. Renowned for her voice modulation abilities, she has sung in many Indian languages, most frequently in Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi.[1] Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, she has won four National Film Awards and 35 different State Film Awards.[2] Her association with singer S. P. Balasubramanyam and composer Ilaiyaraaja is among the most popular musical combinations in South India.[3] She is fondly better known as, "The Nightingale of the South".[4][5]
Early life
S. Janaki was born into a Telugu Brahmin family in Pallapatla, Repalle village, in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.[6] She was interested in music from early age and started performing at the age of three. She learned music from Sree Paidiswamy, a Nadaswaram Vidwan.
Singing career
Janaki started singing at the age of 19.[7] She later moved to Chennai on the advice of her uncle Chandrashekar and joined AVM Studios as a singer. She started her career in movies by singing songs composed by T. Chalapati Rao in the Tamil movie Vidhiyin Vilayattu in 1957. Subsequently, she performed in the Telugu movie MLA.Janaki became most preferred female singer of south India from 1970s. Janaki went on to become one of the most favourite singers of Ilayaraja, and a phase ensued when she sang at least 2 to 3 songs per movie in all the four South Indian languages. She sang in almost every major South Indian movie in the 1980s and 1990s.From late 1970s ,for more than two decades, she is the top female singer in south Indian films. She is having a record of maximum singing compared to any other female singer in the Malayalam & Kannada film industry and she also holds the record of singing the most difficult song in South Films i.e. shiva shiva ennada from the kannada film Hemavathi.[8] She also penned many songs for Tamil and Telugu movies as she was extremely good in both the languages.[9] She has also sung in Hindi, Sinhalese, Bengali, Oriya, English, Sanskrit, Konkani, Tulu, Saurashtra, Baduga, Japanese and German.[10]
A devotee of Lord Krishna and Shirdi Sai Baba, she has also recorded Hindu devotional music on Meera.[10]
Her contemporaries include S.P.Balasubramanyam, P B Srinivas, Rajkumar, Ghantasala, T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela, Vani Jayaram, K J Yesudas, L R Eeswari, P. Jayachandran, P. Leela, K. S. Chithra, Uma Ramanan, Swarnalatha, Sujatha, Hariharan, Unni Krishnan, Srinivas, Unni Menon and Jency
Telugu Discography
Year | Movie | Songs |
---|---|---|
1978 | Padaharella Vayasu | Sirimallepoovaa Sirimallepoovaa, Vayasanta Mudupugatti Vastantale Adukundaam, Kattukathalu Nenu Cheppi Navviste, Pantachelo Paalakanki Navvindi |
1981 | Aakali Rajyam | Kanne Pillavani, Tu Hai Raja Mai Hu Rani |
1982 | Nireekshana | Aakasham Enatido, Yamuna Enduku Nuvvu |
1983 | Sitara | Vennello Godari Andam, Jilibili Palukula, Ku Ku Ku, Nee Gaanam |
1983 | Abhilasha | Vela Paala Ledu, Banthi Chamanthi, Eureka!, Urakalai Godavari, Sande Podulakaada |
1983 | Saagara Sangamam | Om Nama Sivaya, Mounamelanoyi, Baalakanamaya |
1984 | Challenge | Induvadana, Manase Maikam, Sayamkalam, Om Shanthi, Shaama Eethippalu |
1985 | Preminchu Pelladu | Ee Chaitra Veena |
1986 | Khaidi No. 786 | Guvva Gorinka Tho, Chali Gaali Kottindammo, Raito Ato Ito, Atu Amalapuram |
1987 | Abhinandana | Ade Neevu Ade Nenu, Chukkalanti Ammayi Chakkanaina Abbayi, Manchu Kurise Velalo, Rangulalo Kalavo |
1990 | Bobbili Raja | Kanyakumari, Oddante Vinade, Balpam Patti |
1990 | Kondaveeti Donga | Kolo Kollamma, Sri Anjaneyam, Tip Top Look |
1991 | Nirnayam | Eppudepudani, Mila Mila |
1991 | Killer | Piliche Kuhu Kuhu, Oh Rabbi Yendabba |
1992 | Alapana | Aakanulalo, Kalise Prathi, Priyathama |
1992 | Chinnarayudu | Bujji Pitta, Bulli Pitta |
1998 | Anthapuram | Sooredu Poova |
1999 | Jodi | Kadile Kalame |
Personal life
S. Janaki was married to V. Ramprasad. She is now settled in Chennai with her son Murali Krishna, who acted in a few films and has an audio business of his own, and his wife Uma Murali Krishna, a classical dancer (Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi); they have two daughters named Amruthavarshini and Apsara. She is known for her simplicity and down to earth behaviour.
She is also a close relative of Carnatic classical vocalist Garimella Balakrishna Prasad.[11]
Major awards
State Awards
- Nandi Award for Best Female Playback Singer - 10 times
- Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Female Playback - 7 times
- Oriya State Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer - 1 time
- Kerala State Film Award for Best Singer - 13 times
National Film Awards
- 1977 - Best Female Playback Singer - (Song: "Senthoora Poove") 16 Vayathinile, Tamil Film
- 1981 - Best Female Playback Singer - (Song: "Ettumanoorambalathil") Oppol, Malayalam Film
- 1984 - Best Female Playback Singer - (Song: "Vennello godari andham") Sithara, Telugu Film
- 1992 - Best Female Playback Singer - (Song: "Inji Iduppazhagha") Devar Magan, Tamil Film
Other awards
- 1986 - Kalaimamani from the Government of Tamil Nadu
- 2002 - Cinema 'Achiever Award' from the Government of Kerala
- 2005 - Special Jury Swaralaya Yesudas Award for outstanding performance in music
- 2009 - Honorary doctorate from the University of Mysore for contributions to Kannada Cinema
- 2011 - "Basava Bhushan" Award from Karnataka
References
- ^ "Glorious 50 years". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 13 April 2007.
- ^ "Singing straight from the heart". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 5 April 2007. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ [1]
- ^ ‘Sing in your natural voice’, G. JAYAKUMAR, Friday 18 Apr, 2008 THE HINDU
- ^ Night of the nightingales, G. JAYAKUMAR, Saturday 02 Aug, 2008 THE HINDU
- ^ "Timeless voice". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 29 June 2007.
- ^ http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2007/06/22/stories/2007062250510100.htm
- ^ http://www.sjanaki.com/
- ^ http://www.mapsofindia.com/who-is-who/entertainment/s-janaki.html
- ^ a b http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/tamil/article/30687.html
- ^ Garimella Balkrishna Prasad
External links
Further reading
- Articles with bare URLs for citations from August 2011
- 1938 births
- Living people
- Indian female singers
- Indian film singers
- Indian Hindus
- Tamil playback singers
- Kannada playback singers
- Kerala State Film Award winners
- Kollywood playback singers
- Malayalam playback singers
- People from Guntur
- Telugu people
- Telugu playback singers
- National Film Award winners
- Tamil Nadu State Film Awards winners