Sankaramanchi Janaki (née Tekumalla Janaki; 12 December 1931 – 21 August 2026), known professionally as Sowcar Janaki, was an Indian actress and film producer known for her works in Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films besides a few Malayalam and Hindi films. In a career spanning over seven decades, Janaki appeared in nearly 400 films. Janaki was the recipient of several accolades, including two Nandi Awards, a Tamil Nadu State Film Award, a Kalaimamani, Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award - South and SIIMA Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions to South Indian cinema. In 2022, Janaki was honored with the Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian award. Beyond films, Janaki was also a theatre artist who appeared in numerous stage productions, including three K. Balachander written plays that ran for over 300 shows.. She also worked as an A-grade artist at All India Radio's Madras station.
Janaki made her screen debut at the age of 18 in the lead role of L. V. Prasad's social drama, Shavukaru (1950), which also marked the film debut of N. T. Rama Rao. The commercial success of the film led to the prefix "Sowcar" becoming associated with her name. Her Tamil cinema debut came through Valayapathi in 1952.
She was featured in the first Kannada pan-Indian film Mahishasura Mardini (1959) alongside Dr. Rajkumar, making her one of the first leading pan-Indian actresses. Janaki subsequently appeared in a range of social drama films between the 1950s - 1980s period. The Tamil film Biskoth (2020) marked her 400th film to be released.
Janaki died from an age-related illness at Kauvery Hospital, Chennai, on 21 August 2026, at the age of 94.
Janaki was born on 12 December 1931 at Rajahmundry, East Godavari district, Madras Presidency, to Tekumalla Venkoji Rao and Sachi Devi who were a Kannada-speaking Madhva Brahmin family. Her father studied Paper manufacturing and Chemical Engineering in England and was later employed in a paper-making industry at Rajahmundry. Her mother hailed from Guwahati in Assam. Her younger sister, Krishna Kumari was a well-noted actress.Janaki completed her early studies at Gauhati University in Assam and received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Arizona.
Janaki's association with cinema began after filmmaker B. N. Reddy noticed her at an event organized by All India Radio (AIR) in Madras, where she was an A-grade artiste. At the age of 15, she was offered an opportunity by Reddy, to enter films. However, her family declined the offer with an opinion that acting was not a suitable profession for women. She was subsequently married with a match arranged by her family.
At 18, Janaki was married to Sankaramanchi Srinivasa Rao in 1947. The couple had two daughters and a son. Her granddaughter, Vaishnavi Aravind, is also an actress who appeared in several Tamil, Telugu and a few Malayalam films, starting in 1987.
Janaki made her debut in the L. V. Prasad-directed Telugu film Shavukaru in 1950, which gave her the moniker ‘Sowcar’. She made her Tamil debut in 1952 with Valayapathi. She became a prominent actress with hits in different languages as the lead heroine.
Some of her notable and well-known Tamil films include Panam Paduthum Padu (1954), Annai (1964) Puthiya Paravai (1964), Neerkumizhi (1965), Mahakavi Kalidas (1966), Edhir Neechal (1968), Oli Vilakku (1968) Iru Kodugal (1969), Uyarndha Manithan (1968), Kaviya Thalaivi (1970), Ranga Rattinam (1971), Thillu Mullu (1981), Vettri Vizhaa (1989), Devi (1999), Hey Ram (2000), among others.
Some of her notable Telugu films include Rojulu Marayi (1955), Kanyasulkam (1955), Jayam Manade (1956), Panduranga Mahatyam (1957), Doctor Chakravarty (1964), Akka Chellelu (1970), Badi Panthulu (1972), Tayaramma Bangarayya (1979), Samsaram Oka Chadarangam (1987) and Devi (1999), among others.
She participated in more than 3,000 stage plays, and her contributions to the arts are numerous.
Janaki received multiple state awards from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh governments (before bifurcation).
In 2020, Janaki starred in her 400th movie, Biskoth.
In 2022, she was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award, by the Government of India.
Multi-generational roles with Dr. Rajkumar: Janaki holds a unique distinction in Kannada cinema for her long and versatile on-screen association with Dr. Rajkumar. She initially shared the screen as his leading lady (heroine) in several notable films, including Mahishasura Mardini (1959), Gowri (1963), Navakoti Narayana (1964), Sathi Shakthi (1964), and Saaku Magalu (1963). Over her career, she transitioned through entirely different familial dynamics alongside him, subsequently playing his sister in Kanyarathna (1963), and later his mother in Thayige Thakka Maga (1978) and his final cinematic project, Shabdavedhi (2000).
Technical milestone: She starred in Raja Malaya Simha, which is notable for being the first Eastman Color movie in Telugu cinema.
Association with future icons in their debuts: Throughout her seven-decade career, Janaki appeared in the debut or formative early projects of several actors who later became major superstars across Indian cinema. These include N. T. Rama Rao in Shavukaru (1950), Waheeda Rehman in Rojulu Marayi (1955), Kalpana in Saaku Magalu (1963), Sridevi in Thunaivan (1969), Soundarya in Manavarali Pelli (1993), Udaykumar in Bhagyodaya (1956), Ramya_(actress) in Abhi_(2003_film) and Vijay Deverakonda in a Sathya Sai devotional television series.
She has received several awards. Some notable ones are given below: