Kamal Haasan pays tribute to S Janaki, says 'The song will forever keep resounding'

Chennai: Veteran actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan paid an emotional tribute to legendary playback singer S. Janaki following her death on Saturday, remembering her as an immortal voice whose songs will continue to resonate through generations.

"The song will forever keep resounding. Where shall I seek that love, Mother? An inconsolable sorrow exists for many. My deepest condolences to them all," Kamal Haasan said in a heartfelt message, mourning the loss of one of Indian cinema's most celebrated voices.

Also read | From ‘Thumbi Vaa Thumbakudathin’ to ‘Chinna Thayaval’: The timeless songs of S Janaki

Kamal Haasan shared a unique musical association with Janaki, having sung alongside her in some of Tamil cinema's most memorable songs. In "Sundari Neeyum Sundaran Njanum" from Michael Madana Kama Rajan, Kamal lent his voice alongside Janaki in a beloved track that seamlessly blended Tamil and Malayalam lyrics with romantic comedy. In the cult classic Gunaa, Janaki's haunting vocals beautifully complemented "Kanmani Anbodu Kadhalan," where Kamal Haasan's spoken passages became an integral part of one of Indian cinema's most iconic songs.

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Janaki died at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Saturday due to age-related ailments, family sources said. She was 88.

According to the family, she developed breathing difficulties on Friday night and was admitted to the hospital, where she passed away peacefully.

Sharing the news on behalf of the family, her granddaughter, Apsara Vydyula, said Janaki was surrounded by her loved ones in her final moments.

"She left us peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family. While our hearts are heavy, we are also filled with gratitude for the extraordinary life she lived and the immeasurable joy she brought to millions through her timeless music," she wrote on Instagram.

Born on April 23, 1938, in Pallapatla in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district, Janaki began her playback career at the age of 19 with the 1957 Tamil film Vidhiyin Vilayattu. Fondly known as "Janaki Amma" and celebrated as the "Nightingale of South India," she went on to record more than 48,000 songs over a career spanning six decades.