Veteran actress Sowcar Janaki, whose career spanned more than seven decades of South Indian cinema, died on Friday, August 21, at the age of 94.

According to a statement issued by her family and shared by her public relations representative, Janaki died at 1:59 p.m. at a hospital where she had been undergoing treatment. She had reportedly been admitted with age-related health complications and was receiving treatment in the intensive care unit.

Janaki leaves behind a filmography of more than 400 movies across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam cinema. She also worked extensively in television and theatre, with hundreds of stage performances to her credit.

Soon after news of her death emerged, actor Jr NTR paid tribute to the veteran performer on X, recalling her contribution to Telugu and Indian cinema.

“The news of the passing of Shaukaru Janaki Garu, who left her unique mark in Telugu and Indian cinema, has caused immense sorrow. Janaki Garu’s cinematic journey and the characters she portrayed will forever remain in our memories,” he wrote.

Jr NTR also offered his condolences to Janaki’s family and prayed for peace for her soul.

Actor Kamal Haasan also remembered Janaki in an emotional tribute, describing her as a maternal figure in his life.

“She was the mother, I the child. The irreplaceable acting artist of South Indian cinema, Sowcar Janaki,” Kamal wrote.

Recalling her association with filmmaker K Balachander, whom he has described as his mentor, Kamal said Janaki had worked with several leading actors of her time and was a preferred choice of the filmmaker.

“She acted with all the heroes of that time. She was the preferred choice of my guru K. Balachander. She has passed away. A maternal image has departed. I bid her farewell with tears,” he added.

Janaki appeared in several films directed by Balachander, becoming part of a body of work that explored relationships, families and women’s roles on screen.

How Janaki got the name Sowcar

Born Sankaramanchi Janaki in 1931, she made her film debut with the Telugu film Shavukaru, directed by L V Prasad. The film’s title eventually became synonymous with her identity, and she came to be popularly known as Sowcar Janaki.

She entered Tamil cinema with Valayapathi in 1952 and went on to become a leading actress, working opposite several prominent stars of the period.

Over the years, Janaki built a reputation for taking on a wide range of roles. As she moved beyond leading parts, she successfully transitioned into supporting and character roles, allowing her career to continue across several generations of Indian cinema.

Career spanned more than 400 films

Janaki’s filmography eventually crossed 400 films, with significant contributions to Tamil and Telugu cinema, along with work in Kannada and Malayalam films.

Her career began in the early years of post-independence Indian cinema and continued through major shifts in filmmaking, from black-and-white productions and studio-era cinema to contemporary films.

Beyond movies, Janaki remained active on stage and television. She is reported to have appeared in more than 300 stage performances, while also featuring in several television programmes.

Her final film appearance came in the 2023 Telugu film Anni Manchi Sakunamule, making her continued presence on screen into her 90s a notable part of her legacy.

Janaki was honoured with the Kalaimamani award for her contribution to the arts. In 2022, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.

From Shavukaru at the start of her career to her final screen appearance more than seven decades later, Janaki remained active across cinema, theatre and television.

Her death marks the end of one of the longest acting careers in South Indian cinema, spanning more than 400 films and multiple generations of audiences and performers.

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