Sowcar Janaki
Sowcar Janaki | |
|---|---|
| Born | T. Janaki 12 December 1931 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1949–present |
| Spouse |
Sankaramanchi Srinivasa Rao
(m. 1947) |
| Relatives | Vaishnavi (granddaughter) |
| Family | Krishna Kumari (younger sister) |
| Awards | Kalaimamani (1969) Padma Shri (2022) |
Sankaramanchi Janaki (born 12 December 1931), widely known as Sowcar Janaki, is an Indian actress known for her works in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada films. In a career spanning over seven decades, Janaki has appeared in nearly 390 films. She also performed on stage in over 300 shows and was a radio artist during her earlier years. She is the recipient of two Nandi Awards, a Kalaimamani, and India's fourth-highest civilian award, Padma Shri. Her younger sister, Krishna Kumari, was also a noted actress.
She was featured in the first Kannada pan-Indian film Mahishasura Mardini alongside Dr. Rajkumar, which was released in 1959, making her one of the first leading pan-Indian actresses. At 93, she is the oldest living Tamil actress.