'The first person I thought of was Nawaz': Niyas Backer's emotional tribute to S. Janaki

Actor Niyas Backer has paid tribute to legendary singer S. Janaki, who passed away recently, through a heartfelt Facebook post.

Niyas wrote that whenever he thinks of Janakiyamma, the first person who comes to his mind is his younger brother, Nawaz, who won widespread appreciation for performing her songs by remarkably recreating her voice on stage. He said the loss of both Janakiyamma and Nawaz has left an equal void in his heart, adding that Janakiyamma's songs and Nawaz's performances will live on forever in people's memories.

"The moment I heard the news of Janakiyamma's passing, the first person who came to my mind was my younger brother, Nawaz. Whenever I watched him sing Janakiyamma's songs on stage with the same emotion, the same sweetness, and the beauty of a female voice, my heart would be filled with prayer. While he was singing, I would stand beside the stage, praying that he would complete the song beautifully without making any mistakes. It was only after hearing the audience erupt in applause at the end of the performance that I could finally relax. Only then would I go and change my costume," Niyas wrote.

He recalled how Nawaz's renditions of Janakiyamma's songs often felt as though the very soul of her voice had descended onto the stage.

"The memories of those moments remain vivid. The loss of both of them has created an equal emptiness in my heart. But even if some people leave this world, the music and memories they leave behind never fade. Janakiyamma's songs and Nawaz's performances will live forever in our hearts," he said.

Paying an emotional tribute to Janakiyamma and her immortal voice, Niyas said her voice would never fall silent and would continue to resonate in people's hearts for generations. As a mark of respect, he also sang one of S. Janaki's songs and shared the performance in a video on Facebook.