S. Janaki, fondly known as Janaki Amma, on Saturday passed away at the age of 88 at Apollo Hospital in Mysuru after a suffering a heart attack and other age-related ailments.
The news of her demise was confirmed by her granddaughter, Apsara Vydula, which led to tributes from all corners of India.
However, as her lifetime collection of 48,000 songs across 17 languages shows, the 'Nightingale of South India' will live on for generations through her music.
Here are seven famous tracks from her collection to remember her by:
Kanmani Anbodu - Tamil
This beautiful blend of musical dialogue between Kamal Haassan's spoken word poetry and S. Janaki's singing from the Gunaa (1991) easily finds its way here due to its soulful quality and repeat value—so much so, that it went viral again in 2024, when it was reused in the hit Malayalam survival thriller Manjummel Boys.
Thumbi Vaa - Malayalam
Ilaiyaraaja's remake of his Tamil original for the Malayalam film Olangal is one of the many songs that became an important part of Kerala's culture—not just as a film song, but a lullaby too.
The song sees Janaki give life to O.N.V. Kurup's simple, yet wonderful poetry, adding in shades of innocence and nostalgia.
Yaar Bina Chain Kahan Re - Hindi
One rarely gets as revered as S. Janaki when one sticks to the same genres and languages. This peppy Bollywood track, sung alongside veteran singer-composer Bappi Lahiri, sees her adapt her soulful voice to fit his disco beats.
The result was the popular 80s track used in the 1985 film Saaheb, that is still a part of old-school Bollywood playlists now.
Malare Mounama - Tamil
No list of her famous songs, however small, can exclude this track, crafted by composer Vidyasagar and sung by Janaki and S.P. Balasubrahmaniam—two legendary singers in their own right.
As the composer himself once told Times of India, SPB compared the track's beauty to the Neelakurinji flower (Strobilanthes kunthiana), which blooms only once every 12 years.
Elam Manhin - Malayalam
Arguably one of S. Janaki's best songs with yet another veteran, K.J. Yesudas is this soul-stirring track from Mohanlal's 100th feature film, Ninnishtam Ennishtam.
Composed by Kannur Rajan, the track sees her soft, whisper-like voice complement the gentle, soothing depth of Yesudas' voice, creating something that has stood the test of time.
Charana Kamala Bande - Odia
Deftly composed by Akshaya Mohanty, a towering figure in Odia culture, this devotional song for the epic film Sri Jagannath secured Janaki a one-way ticket to the hearts of Odia audiences as well.
Songs like these—in languages other than her native Telugu—were enhanced by her efforts to learn correct pronunciations from composers and lyricists.
Sirimalle Puvvaa - Telugu
This 70s track from the Telugu film Padaharella Vayasu sees the best person to convert a young Sridevi's performances to music.
Due to Janaki's unmatched level of expressiveness and vocal glides, the song is arguably one of the most memorable of her Telugu songs from the 70s, perfectly capturing both innocence and longing.
