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S. Jaanaki's Quality

Topic started by K Parbhakar Shaastri (@ 195.219.76.228) on Sat May 31 11:15:07 EDT 2003.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Quality-wise, does Vaani comes anywhere near to Jaanaki?

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Responses:

• From: sridhar (@ 61.3.70.9) on: Sun Jun 1 09:37:39 EDT 2003
  
  no chance.............no one can even touch the traces of the quality of janakiji,
  if u have missed the a.r.rahman's unity of light telecasted in vijay tv u are a very great loser.
  what an extraordinary performance of that great lady at the age of 70's.
  really now a days singers like chitra,sujatha,harini,anuradha sriram,swarnalatha...............and new upcoming singers can't think of this at their old ages.in this competitive music world their prolonging even for the next 2 years is doubtful.bcoz nowadays the music world is like that.
  but janakiamma is doing that!
  
  
• From: K P S (@ 213.185.126.4) on: Mon Jun 2 10:34:50 EDT 2003
  
  Here is a write-up from the web.
  
  "S. Janaki the Eternal Singer
  
  S. Janaki, the soporific and stimulative singer of South India, who has been lilting the south Indian film music lovers with her uninterrupted singing for decades together. She is not only a musician but also a magician. She does wonders with her voice and changes her tone to match each and every stage of human life. Her range of singing is very wide while it encompasses the songs that are worshipful, mellisonant, off-coloured, rebellious, imitative etc. She walked mutely and pleasingly into the hearts of audience with her soulful and stirring voice. Janaki has a sweet voice that can reach high pitches with consummate ease.
  The gifted songbird took birth on April 23, 1938 in Pallapatla, Repalle Tq. Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh. She used to hear a lot of radio music at her tender years, which led up her to singing at the age of three. She was kept under Pydi Swami to learn music until she was ten years old. She acquired a second prize from the former President of India Lt. Dr. Rajendra Prasad in 1956, at the competitions held by All India Radio. Her uncle who is named as the 'Fun Doctor' - Mr. Chandrasekhar recognized her craving for music and encouraged her a lot. The doctor took her to Chennai and acquainted her to AVM Studios in 1957. Janaki started her career as a personnel singer there, and got instantaneous appreciation for her charismatic voice. Through the first year of her career she sang almost 100 songs in various languages, which was a record in those days. Thereafter she kept on climbing up her career ladder.
  
  There was an interesting thing in her career. All the first songs that she sang in different languages were turned to be heartrending ones. She sang her first song on April 4 in 1957 for a Tamil film 'Vidhiyin Vilayattu' under the famous music director T. Chalapati Rao. The very next day, she sang her first Telugu song 'Nee asa adi asa chejare manipusa brathukantha amavasa lambadolla Ramdaasa' for the film 'M.L.A.', a duet with the Late. Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao under the Music Direction of Sri Pendyala Nageswar Rao. Her First Malayalam song in the film 'Minnunnadellam Ponnalla' and her first Singhalese song, which were recorded at A.V.M., were also tragical ones.
  
  She became sensational with her first experimental song competed with the Nadaswaram played by Late Karaikuruchi Arunachalam under the Music Direction of Late S.M. Subbiah Naidu in 1958. Her song 'Singaravelane Deva' in the Tamil film 'Konjum Salangai' was treasured and much-admired by one and all and brought her laurels. She sang that song 'Nee Leela Padeda Deva' for the Telugu version also for the film 'Muripinche Muvvalu'. Subsequently, Pendyala gave her a break with a solo song 'Neelimeghaalalo gaali kerataalaol neevu paade paata' in the film 'Baavaa Maradallu' in the year 1961. The song won her much commendation from many music directors and critics. Comprehending her work in the industry for more than four decades she has sung thousands of songs for almost five generations of heroines. She sang several unforgettable songs with the association of the maestros of music. She even rendered thousands of songs in Kannada leaving a lasting impression in the hearts of Kannada fans.
  
  Some of Janaki's other popular Telugu songs
  
  • Nee asa adi asa - 'M.L.A'
  • Neeli meghaalalo - 'Poojaaphalam'
  • Aadadaani oarachoopulo - 'Aradhana' in 1962, music - S. Rajeswara Rao.
  • Naravaraa kuruvaraa - 'Narthanasala' in 1963, music - Susarla Dakshinamurthy
  • Pagale Vennela - with Ghantasala in 1964, music - S.Rajeswara Rao.
  • Ye divilo virisina paarijathamo - with Ghantasala
  • Nenoka poola mokka kada nilichi - 'Pushpavilapam' with Ghantasala
  • Nee kanudoyine niduraponi - 'Gudigantalu'
  • Poovulu pooyunu - 'Guruvunu Minchina Sishyudu'
  • Oho oho paavuramaa - 'Manchi Manasulu'
  • Puvvu navvenu - 'Siri Sampadalu'
  • O vanne kaada - 'Pandava Vanavasamu' in 1965, music - Ghantasala
  • Muttemanti chinadaanni - 'Aakasaraamanna', in 1965, music - Rajan-Nagendra
  • Vallabhaa priya vallabhaa - 'Sreekaakula Andhra Maha Vishnuvu Katha' in 1966.
  • Andelu palikenu - 'Bhakta Potana' in 1966.
  • Nadi reyi ae jhaamulo - 'Rangula Raatnam' in 1967, with Ghatasala, music - S. Rajeswara Rao & Gopalam
  • Sarileru neekevvaru narapaala sudhaakara - 'Kanchukota' 1967, with Susheela, music - K.V. Mahadevan
  • Pagalaite doraveraa - 'Bangaaru Panjaram' in 1968, music - S. Rajeswara Rao
  • Chinavaadaa manasaayera - 'Jarigina Katha' in 1969 with Ghantasala
  • Vennela thechchaadu - 'Attagaru Kotta Kodalu'
  • Mamayya vasthadanta - 'Rama Chilaka'
  • Kallalo vunnadedo - 'Anthuleni Katha'
  • Mallelakanna - 'Challani Needa'
  • Vasantha gaaliki valapulu rega - 'Karna' with Balamurali Krishna, music - Pendyala Nageswara Rao
  • Nede telisindi eenaade telisindi - 'Aaradhana' in 1976 with Mohd. Rafi, music - Saluri Hanumantha Rao
  • Sirimalle poovaa sirimalle poovaa - 'Padahaarella Vayasu' in 1978, music - Illayaraja.
  • Samajavaragamanaa - 'SankaraabharaNam' in 1980 music - K.V. Mahadevan
  • Meghamaa dehamaa - 'Manchu Pallaki' in 1982, music - Rajan-Nagendra
  • Maanavatvam parimalinche - 'Neti Bhaaratam' in 1983, music - Chakaravarthi
  • Om namassivaaya - 'Sagara Sangamam' in 1983.
  • Kukukoo kukukoo kokila raave - 'Sithara' in 1984
  • Jilibilipalukulu chilipiga palikina - 'Sithara' in 1984
  • Vennello Godaari andam - 'Sithara' in 1984
  • Vayyari Godaramma ollanthaa endukamma - 'Prminchu Pelladu' in 1985.
  • Gopemma chethilo gorumudda - 'Prminchu Pelladu' in 1985.
  • Ekanthavela - 'Anveshana' in 1985, music- Illayaraja
  • Akaasamlo aasala harivillu - 'Swarna Kamalam' in 1988
  • Sarasaalu chaalu sreevaaru - 'Shiva' in 1990, music - Ilayaraja
  • Bujji pitta bulli pitta - 'Chinaraayudu' in 1992, - Ilayaraja
  • Narudaa o narudaa emi korikaa - 'Bhairavadweepam' in 1994, music - Madhavapeddi Suresh (won award)
  
  The list never ends. Her magical voice represents that of a baby, an adolescent, a grown up lady, a very old woman and even of a man's. She let her voice strolled to get consorted with great instrumentalists like Naamagiri Pettai Krishnan - Naadaswaram, Karaikuruchi Arunachalam - Naadaswaram, M.S. Gopala Krishnan - Violin, Bismillah Khan - Shehanai, Hari Prasad Chaurasia - Flute etc. She moulds her voice according to the artiste for whom she renders a song. Sometimes she even adds lots and lots of special effects to her voice. She laughs melodiously for the song 'Sirimalle puvvalle navvu' in the film Jyothi, which was released in 1976 under the music direction of Chakravarthi. She brought out a typical child's voice for the songs 'Gunnamaamidi komma meeda' in 'Baalamithrula Katha', 1973 and 'Govullu thellana gopayya nallana' in 'Saptapadi', in 1981. She even imitated a drunkard's voice in the song 'Paapa Peru malli.. Ooru kotta Dhilli' in 'Mouna Geetham'.
  
  She is not only a singer but also a good lyricist and a very good music composer. She rendered music for the film ' Mouna Poraatam' in the year 1988. After Bhanumathi and P. Leela Janaki stands as the third person in the order of lady music directors in Telugu film industry. She wrote many songs in Tamil and Telugu.
  
  S. Janaki was married to Sri.V. Rama Prasad. Her father-in-law is the famous Mono Actor, Fun Dr. V. Chandrasekhar. Her son V. Murali Krishna is having an audio business of his own. He has acted in a couple of movies, one of them was 'sruthilayalu'. He is now acting in some T.V. serials. Her daughter-in-law Uma Murali Krishna is a classical dancer, of both Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi who is a recipient of the title 'Yuva Kala Bharathi'. Janaki has two lovely grand daughters Amruthavarshini and Apsara.
  
  She vocalized almost 20,000 songs in 15 different languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Simhalese, Bengali, Oriya, English, Sanskrit, Konkini, Tulu, Saurashtra, Baduga, and German. The songs that she rendered as a playback singing are numberless. Besides that she performed many stage shows world wide, for light-music troupes like Swaramaadhuri, the troupe that has over 1000 artistes and singers associated, and has the distinction of rendering over 5000 concerts in the past. She received innumerable awards from both the government and non-government institutions as recognition for her great singing talent. She won Tamilnadu State Government award for six times, Andhra Pradesh State Government award for six times, 'Kalai Maamani' in 1986, 'Sur Singaar' in 1987, 'Singer of the Century' award, and 'Bharatidas' award. The Andrapradesh Kalavedika complimented her with 'Sangeeta Ratna' award and one lakh rupees, on the 100 years of Cinema festival. She won four national awards. She was honored for her outstanding contribution to south Indian cinema. Her song 'Ee Duryoadhana Dussaasana' in 'Pratighatana' composed by Chakravarthi, secured her the Best Singer award for the year1986. She was also honoured with the Cinema 'Achiever Award' by the government of Kerala in the year 2002. She got many State Film awards during 1969 - 2001 as a female playback singer for singing in different films. She also acquired an award by Sangeetha Ganga Gayana Organization. After her husband's demise she almost broke off singing for films. She is now totally indulged in making her own albums like devotional songs of Meera etc.
  
  As per the veteran musicologist V.A.K. Rangarao - 'S. Janaki weaves a spell of swara magic'.
  
  As per S. Janaki - 'With failing health, my voice may not be the same'.
  
  As per the music lovers - She is a timeless"
  
  
• From: Kaumudi (@ 136.142.153.250) on: Mon Jun 2 12:49:55 EDT 2003
  
  KPS
  Interesting stuff.
  
  
• From: av (@ 132.206.72.59) on: Mon Jun 2 13:37:32 EDT 2003
  
  If someone please gives me a link to that german song by Janaki, I would only be grateful!
  
  
• From: Jag (@ 35.11.98.63) on: Mon Jun 2 19:54:22 EDT 2003
  
  DF'ers should stop this comparison stuff. Especially when two great singers such as these two. We might as well ask about chitra and other singers. Let's not encourage this comparison trend. It only ends up putting down one or the other person as has happened in countless IR vs ARR threads.
  
  Jag
  
  
• From: Ravi (@ 192.147.58.6) on: Tue Jun 3 08:54:39 EDT 2003
  
  Well, dont throw brickbats for my views. I do appreciate SJ's voice for her versatility like singing as a child, old lady, a guy and so on. I greatly respect her nice character. But I feel she sings in a pseudo voice. This is not just a feeling. Once I felt this, I started analysing many of her songs. When one sings in his/her original voice, you can sense the difficulty while singing very high or low notes but not change in voice. But in case of SJ, her voice tone seems to be different at different pitches (screeching high pitch to bass low pitch). People who would want to differ can check out on few of her songs before putting forward their point. Well I dont know if she also talks in a pseudo voice but I definitely feel she sings in a pseudo voice. Moreover, there is no expression in SJ's face or even head tilting when she sings - not even on high notes - that has further fuelled my doubt.
  
  

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