Politicians, celebrities recall contributions of ‘Sowcar’ Janaki, pay tributes

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

From politicians to film personalities, many paid tributes to veteran actor ‘Sowcar’ Janaki, who died on Friday (August 21, 2026).

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar said, “Recipient of prestigious honours such as the Padma Shri, Kalaimamani, and Nandi Awards, she made history by acting alongside three generations of actors. It is no exaggeration to say that she created an epoch by taking on various landmark roles, adopting a unique style of her own, and acting in over four hundred films.”

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay said that through her unique performances, she had carved an indelible place in the hearts of audiences across generations. In her contributions, spanning over 70 years in the film industry, she breathed life into countless characters, and will forever be cherished and celebrated, he said.

“Having acted in films across various languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and more, she achieved remarkable feats, and received numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri Award, Kalaimamani Award, Nandi Award, and others,” he said.

On social media platforms like X, many recalled her contributions. L. Murugan, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, said she captivated fans of many generations through her artistic contributions and that her demise is an irreplaceable loss to the field of arts.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu said, “Having acted in over 400 films and received numerous awards and accolades, Sowkar Janaki may have left us physically, but through the characters she portrayed, she will remain immortal in our hearts forever.”

DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi said she was a leading star of the film industry and had acted in more than 400 films in South Indian languages.

PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said having made her debut in the film world in 1952, she acted alongside MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, and all the actors of Tamil cinema and won numerous awards.

Actor Radhika Sarathkumar said she had the opportunity to know and work with the legendary actor and recalled that ‘Sowcar’ Janaki was a close friend of her father veteran actor M.R. Radha and that they had great admiration for each other.

Actor and politician Kamal Haasan reminisced that from the film Paarthaal Pasi Theerum, in a career spanning four decades, they have worked together in many films. He noted that she was an irreplaceable artist of South Indian cinema.

Actor and politician Sumalatha Ambareesh said, through her stellar performances she entertained Kannada, Tamil and Telugu audiences and has earned a place in everyone’s hearts. “Her departure marks the end of a golden era in cinema,” she said.

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments.