Thursday 14 September 2017

SOWCAR JANAKI ,A LEGEND OF TAMIL CINEMA


SOWCAR JANAKI ,A LEGEND OF TAMIL CINEMA




Sankaramanchi Janaki (born 12 December 1931), popularly known as Sowcar Janaki, is a south-Indian actress who has acted in over 387 Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam films. She also performed on stage in over 300 shows and was a radio artist during her earlier years. Her career as film actress began after her marriage only. She became a popular actress with hits across languages between 1949 and 1975 as the lead heroine such as Sowcar (Telugu), Valayapathy, Rojulu Marayi in Telugu, then in Tamil like Naan Kanda Sorgam, Kaviya Thalavi, Bhagya Lakshmi, Pallum Pazhamum, Paar Magale Paar, Thayikku Thalaimagan, Kumudham, Panam Paadithavan, Puthiya Paravai , Bama Vijayam, Oli Villaku, Ethir Neechal,Maanavan, Uyardha Manidhan, Nimarundhu Nil, Thunaivan, Needhi and Iru Kodugal (Tamil), with Kannada films like Devakaanika, Saaku Magalu, Sadarame, Thayige Thakka Maga and then with Malayalam debut Schoolmaster (1964) and with a film in Hindi - Teen Bahuraniyan. She worked with famous directors such as Dada Mirasee and K Balachandar. She moved to supporting roles after 1975 and her performances in Cinema Paithiyam, Thee, Thillu Mullu, Vetri Vizha, Kaanche were widely appreciated. She served as jury member for the National Indian Films awards committee and as chair person for state Telugu Films awards committee.

 She made her debut at the age of 18, after her marriage, in 1949 with the film Shaukar. After this she essayed wide variety of roles for next 68 years.Only other actor to have had such long span in the field of acting in India were Dev Anand, Pran, Ashok Kumar, Kamini Kaushal [2]However by 2016,her career span has overtaken most of the actors and she remains the actress with the longest career span.


 She was most comfortable on being paired with Gemini Ganeshan and Shivaji Ganeshan repeatedly.She quoted in an interview on her pair with Sivaji Ganesan, “He would compliment me in public using superlatives. I’d be thrilled! We would always rehearse together. If my character needed a little over-acting, he would tone down his and vice versa. It was a challenge working with the great actor! If they remember Sivaji Ganesan, they remember me,”.[3] She has done around 387 films in Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam and Telugu.

 She actively participated in drama troupes and did live drama shows right from 1960, despite being a busy film star and continued doing so till 1995.In many of the dramas she worked with co-star Sreekanth
Personal life[edit]
She is the elder daughter of T. Venkoji Rao and Sachi Devi of Rajahmundry. She completed her earlier studies from Gauhati University in Assam and has received honorary Doctorate from University of Arizona. She has two daughters and a son, four grandchildren and two great granddaughters.[4][5]

 Film career[edit]

 She was paired alongside N. T. Rama Rao in her first movie "Shavukar". She acted with A. Nageswara Rao, Jaggaiah, Sivaji Ganesan, M.G.R, Prem Nazir, V.K.Ramaswamy, Major Sunderrajan, Nagesh, Sreekanth, AVM Rajan, Gemini Ganesan, Ravichandran and Dr. RajKumar.

 Awards[edit]
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South (1984)[6]
Kalaimamani by Tamil Nadu government
Tamil Nadu State Film Honorary Award - MGR Award in 1990.
SIIMA Lifetime Achievement Award, 2012
Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress, 1969 for Iru Kodugal
Potpourri of titbits about cinema - Sowcar Janaki

 Sowcar Janaki, Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema, 
kalyanamalai tamil weekly magazine
Q: What are your favorite books?
A: Biography of great men and scholars and books on the art of cooking.
Q: What is it that you respect the most?
A: Self-respect … I like those who are courteous and deserve courtesy. And, I appreciate those who talk less. I feel proud of those who live a disciplined life. I’ve lot of respect for such people.
Q: What attracts you most?
A: Simplicity

 Q: What do you consider as natural beauty in women?
A: : Preserving their looks given by God and living a good life and not attempting to get the ‘impossible’. 

 The interaction, lasting for two and a half hours proved very useful and interesting. Sowcar’s useful replies offered food for thought. Sowcar was really very happy with the way I arranged the interaction. When I met her after a long gap, she frankly told me the differences in the present-day field and that of yesteryears. “In those days, only those who can sing well could enter cinema. And, they were required to pronounce words correctly with proper spacing. Women artistes should be able to dance also. Above all, the heroines should look very beautiful. But today, nothing is required to enter cinema! Only one film out of hundred is worth seeing. Kamalhasan deserves all praise, he has no equal. He identifies himself with his character, brings out novel changes in his appearance through a highly-advanced technique in make-up! Balachander, Maniratnam, Bharathiraja and Bagyaraj are very intelligent in that they adapt light themes to suit the taste of the day and give good films. But many directors make films that contain unacceptable and unrealistic turns and scenes, wrongly believing that people want films of that type only. Vulgarity is becoming more pronounced,” Sowcar said openly with so much concern in her voice.


 Q: Which of your films are your favorites?
Sowcar Janaki - MGR, Potpourri of titbits about Tamil cinema, kalyanamalai tamil weekly magazine
A: I accepted offers only because I liked the movies and the storyline as well. I like all my films. ‘Paalum pazhamum’, ‘Paar magalae paar’, ‘Uyarntha manithan’, ‘Pudhiya paravai’, ‘Panam pataiththavan’, ‘Oli vilakku’, ‘Ethir neechal’, ‘Iru kodugal’, ‘Kaaviya thalai’, ‘Rangaraattinam’ etc. are films which I enjoyed the most while doing.

 Sowcar Janaki has settled down in Bangalore today. She is spiritually inclined and she visits her grandchildren regularly at Chennai. She celebrated her 79th birthday on 12.12.2010 with her large family at Chennai in a simple way. Let us all wish her a wholesome long life.

 AN INTERVIEW WITH SOWCARJANAKI 


 - Y. Sunita Chowdhary

 Sowcar Janaki is as ebullient as ever and will be seen in a substantial role in the forthcoming release ‘Soukhyam’

 HYDERABAD: “I turned 85 on December 12th, how young are you?” asks Sowcar Janaki. That sums up the actor’s attitude to life. It is that attitude that is egging her on to make more appearances in films.

 Her recent outings are being noticed; after a guest role in Yevade Subramanyam, and a meaty role in Kanche with Krish. “Director Krish said it was inspiring to work with me and sent me a mail to say he wants to work with me again,” she smiles. She has now landed a big role in Soukhyam directed by Ravi Kumar.

 Exuberant yet soft spoken, polite yet firm, Janaki speaks impeccable English. Always fiercely independent, she now lives on her own in her sister, former actor Krishna Kumari’s estate keeping herself busy with cooking, cleaning, tending to her plants and watching old DVDs in her free time .

 She reminisces:
“I haven't studied much. By reading you can learn but to talk you need to practise. As a kid I loved to listen to the radio, later I became a radio artiste and would listen to the BBC. I was born after my dad came back from England and he wanted to raise us like European kids. We come from an acharavanthula kutumbam (traditional family) from Rajamundry. At 14, I started reading popular scripts, wanted to learn Telugu, read books and improve my language. Then I got married at 15.”

 Speaking of her sister Krishna Kumari, she says, “Krishna Kumari and I grew up as twins, she acquired a height, personality, she was a beautiful girl. I would be 5 feet and they would say I was an ugly duckling.” Didn’t the comparisons hurt? Not at all, she insists, as she was the first one to land in films with Sowcar.”

 She reveals she went on to become a breadwinner.
She quips, “Marriage was there, but we got into a lot of problems. For me it’s half career and half personal life. Krishna Kumari was a protected girl, my brother would manage her career. She would act, get tired and they wanted her to maintain her figure. She was given juices, chapatis, she was totally guarded. I had to learn everything the hard way.. konchem peru vocchaka (After I got some name) I would tell my producers that I need to spend Sundays with my kids.”

 Janaki is well known for her culinary skills, cooking is her passion and she also loves to feed people. If the food isn’t good she'd rather starve but not eat and says she never believed in dieting. She adds, “Your body needs everything in reasonable proportion and you should know when to stop and when to eat.”

 Janaki has an impressive repertoire; she did 20 films a year and has completed around 387 plus movies. She recalls watching her Tamil films recently and says that she couldn't believe that with three kids she maintained her figure and at 40, she acted as both a daughter and a mother in a Balachander movie.


 She avers, “A Japanese girl asked me who acted as the daughter, she couldn’t believe it was me. My costumes were a topic of discussion, I would wear sleeveless blouses. I knew how to dress for an occasion. While I worked, I was preparing simultaneously for the other side of life. I knew this glamour and films are not going to last. Films were just a profession. The moment I step into the house the actor in me disappears.”
I learnt discipline and vruthhi meeda bhakti (respect for the profession) from NTR and ANR. If this industry is being treated as one and is being given respect it is because of that duo. Out of the present actors whom I admire it is Nagarjuna, he has a beautiful disposition like his father,” she signs off.

Partial filmography[edit]

YearFilmLanguageRoleNotes
1949ShavukarTeluguSubbuludebut in Telugu
1949RaksharekhaTeluguChandrika
1952ValayapathiTamilSathyavathidebut in Tamil
1953Pitchi PullaiahTeluguVasantha
1955Rojulu MarayiTeluguRaadha
1955BhagyachakraKannada
1955Adarsha SathiKannada
1955KanyadhanamTelugu
1955Asai Anna Arumai ThambiTamil
1955Ezhayin AsthiTamil
1955Pasupu KumkumaTelugu
1955Cherapakura ChedevuTelugu
1955DevakannikaaKannada
1955Beedhala AasthiTelugu
1955KanyasulkamTeluguBuchamma
1956Charana DaasiTeluguSaroja
1956Edi NijamTeluguRaami
1956SadarameKannada
1956Jayam ManadheTelugu
1956Sontha VooruTelugu
1956SadaramaTelugu
1956Naga DevathaiTamil
1956Naga ChavithiTelugu
1957Bhagya RekhaTeluguKathayini
1959Mahishasura MardhiniKannada
1959Abalai AnjugamTamil
1959Aval YaarTamilVijaya/Ponni
1960Sri Venkateswara MahatyamTeluguYerukala Saani
1960Nan Kanda SorgamTamil
1961BhakyalaksumiTamilKamala
1961KumudhamTamilKumudhaa
1961Palum PazhamumTamilNalini
1961Kaanal NeerTamil
1962Paarthaal Pasi TheerumTamilJanaki
1962AnnaiTamilSeetha
1962Daiva LeeleKannada
1962Manchi ManasuluTeluguRadha
1963Sathi ShakthiKannada
1963Malli MaduveKannada
1963KanyaratnaKannada
1963GowriKannada
1963Paar Magale PaarTamilLakshmiammal
1963Saaku MagaluKannada
1964Puthiya ParavaiTamilChitra & Saroja
1964Dr. ChakravarthiTeluguNirmala
1964School MasterMalayalamJohny's wife
1964Pachai VilakkuTamil
1965Manchi KutumbamTeluguShantha
1965NaanalTamil
1965Panam PadaithavanTamilRama
1965NeerkumizhiTamilDr. Indra
1966Petralthan PillaiyaTamilJeeva
1966Mahakavi KalidasTamil
1966Motor Sundaram PillaiTamilFirst wife
1967Bama VijayamTamilParvathi
1967Kan Kanda DaivamTamil
1968Oli VilakkuTamilShanti
1968Lakshmi KalyanamTamil
1968Enga Oor RajaTamil
1968Teen BahuraniyanHindiParvati
1968Jeevanaamsam (film)TamilJanaki
1968Ethir NeechalTamilPattu
1968Uyarndha ManidhanTamilVimala
1968ArunodayaKannada
1968Manchi KutumbamTeluguShantha
1969Iru KodugalTamilJanaki
1969Kaaval DheivamTamil
1969NiraparaadhiKannada
1969Akka ThangaiTamilJanaki
1969ThunaivanTamilMarathagam
1969Kuzhandhai UllamTamil
1970Kaaviya ThalaiviTamilDevi (Meera Bai) & Krishna
1970Nadu IravilTamilRani
1970KanmalarTamil
1970Dharma DaataTeluguZamindar's wife
1971BabuTamil
1971RangarattinamTamil
1972ThiruneelakandarTamilLeelavathi
1972NeedhiTamilFarmer's widow
1972DeivamTamil
1973Pasa DheebamTamil
1974Kaliyuga KannanTamil
1975Manithanum DeivamagalamTamil
1975Cinema PaithiyamTamil
1975Pinju ManamTamil
1975Uravukku Kai KoduppomTamil
1975Naaku Swatantram VachindiTelugu
1976DasavataramTamil
1978Thayige Thakka MagaKannada
1979Tayaramma BangarayyaTeluguTayaramma
1980Aarada GaayaKannada
1980Gopala Rao Gari AmmayiTeluguJanaki
1981GeethaKannadaMukta
1981Prem GeetHindiMrs. Laxmi Bhardwaj
1981Thillu MulluTamilMeenakshi Duraiswamy
1981TheeTamilSita
1983Bezawada BebbuliTelugu
1984ChiranjeeviTamil
1986Dosti DushmaniHindiSumitra Singh
1987Samsaram Oka ChadarangamTeluguChilakamma
1987MajnuTeluguAlekhya's mother
1989Pudhu Pudhu ArthangalTamilGoa resident
1989Vetri VizhaTamil
1989GeethanjaliTeluguChancellor
1989SivaTamil
1991AzhaganTamilDoctor
1992Soorya ManasamMalayalamMariya
1996SubhakankshaluTeluguSitaramaiah's wife
1998Bavagaru Bagunnara?Telugu
1999DeviTeluguVijay's grandmother
1999Raavoyi ChandamamaTeluguNagarjuna's grandmother
2000Hey RamTamilMythili's grandmother
2000ShabdavedhiKannada
2003Ela CheppanuTelugu
2003AbhiKannada
2014Vanavarayan VallavarayanTamilKrishna's & Anand's grandmother
2014Pungi DaasaKannadaGayatri Devi
2015Yevade SubramanyamTelugu
2015KancheTeluguSitadevi's grandmother
2015SoukhyamTeluguModern Bamma
2016Babu BangaramTeluguSailaja's grand-mother
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