Veteran actress Sowcar Janaki, who acted in over 400 films, passes away at 94

CHENNAI: Veteran Tamil film actress Sowcar Janaki passed away at the age of 94 on Friday (August 21) following health complications.

She had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Chennai after her health deteriorated.

Janaki, who was residing in Alwarpet, was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital. Despite treatment, she passed away, bringing the curtain down on a remarkable career spanning nearly seven decades.

Sowcar Janaki acted in over 400 films

Born as Sankaramanchi Janaki, she acted in over 400 movies in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam for over seven decades. She was conferred the Padma Shri award by the government in 2022 in recognition of her distinguished and lifelong contribution to Indian art and cinema.

Her breakthrough came in the 1950 Telugu film ‘Shavukaru’, which earned her the title ‘Sowcar’. Her Bhaga Piravinei (1959 film) alongside Sivaji Ganesan was a landmark drama in which she played a deeply devoted wife supporting her physically challenged husband.

She went on to act in more than 400 films across Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam cinema.

The veteran actress is famous for depicting emotional depth and portrayed strong-willed, modern, and highly witty woman roles. She smashed the mould of a suffering woman stereotype of her era.

During her long career, she shared the screen with several leading actors, including Sivaji Ganesan, MGR and Gemini Ganesan. Known for her versatility, she successfully portrayed both lead and character roles.

In ‘Parthiban Kanavu’ (1960), she showcased her range by depicting two starkly contrasting look-alike characters. ‘Pava Mannippu’ (1961), ‘Iru Kodugal’ (1969), and ‘Bama Vijayam’ (1967) in which she displayed her incredible, sharp comedy timing as a middle-class daughter-in-law obsessed with high-society glamour, were among her numerable hits.

Her final Tamil film appearance was in Biskoth (2020), starring Santhanam. The film marked her 400th appearance on screen.

Her death marks the loss of one of the most respected veteran actresses of Indian cinema.

(With inputs from bureau)