Published Aug 21, 2026 | 3:03 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 21, 2026 | 6:08 PM
Veteran actor Sowcar Janaki.
Synopsis: Veteran actor Sowcar Janaki, who appeared in more than 400 films during a South Indian cinema career spanning over seven decades, died in Chennai on Friday at the age of 94. She had been in intensive care. Her mortal remains will be kept at Centaph Road in Teynampet from 5 pm for the public to pay their last respects.
Veteran actor Sowcar Janaki, whose career in South Indian cinema spanned more than seven decades and over 400 films, died in Chennai on Friday, 21 August. She was 94.
Janaki, who had been hospitalised and was in the intensive care unit, breathed her last at 1.59 pm.
She is survived by her three children, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Janaki was married to Sankaramanchi Srinivasa Rao.
Her mortal remains will be kept at Centaph Road in Teynampet, Chennai, from 5 pm on Friday to enable relatives, friends, colleagues and members of the public to pay their last respects.
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Over a career spanning seven decades, Janaki worked extensively in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam cinema, establishing herself as one of Indian cinema’s accomplished senior artistes.
She made her debut in 1950 in the Telugu film Shavukaru, directed by LV Prasad. Her last released film was Anni Manchi Sakunamule, which hit screens in 2023 and was the 401st of her career. In between, she went on to work in several notable films in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
Known for her versatility, Janaki played a wide range of characters, shared the screen with several leading actors and worked with prominent filmmakers.
The Government of India conferred the Padma Shri on her in 2022 in recognition of her distinguished and lifelong contribution to Indian art and cinema.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay expressed shock and grief over the demise of the veteran film actor.
In a social media post, the CM described Sowcar Janaki as a legendary actor who had left an indelible mark on the hearts of generations of audiences through her distinctive performances.
He noted that she had spent more than 70 years in the film industry, bringing numerous characters to life and receiving several honours, including the Padma Shri, Kalaimamani and Nandi Award.
Describing her demise as a great loss to the film industry, the Chief Minister conveyed his heartfelt condolences to her family members, relatives, members of the film fraternity and fans.
