As Indian cinema and the music industry mourn the loss of their country’s very own nightingale, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 88, Tamil cinema enthusiasts are reminiscing about the final time she appeared in front of a movie camera. With a career spanning over six decades and a whopping 48,000 songs across various Indian languages, S Janaki was known to be one of the most celebrated voices whose music transcended boundaries and generations. While her musical career may be familiar to many, she also played cameo roles as herself in a few films, with her last on-screen appearance in Prem Kumar’s ‘96’.
S Janaki appeared only briefly, yet it remains so special in the hearts of many. The 4-minute appearance in the deleted scene of Trisha and Vijay Sethupathi’s ‘96’, directed by Prem Kumar, was her final appearance on the big screen.
Trisha’s character, Jaanu, is interestingly named after the late veteran singer, and she is portrayed as an ardent fan who sings only her songs.
This widely popular deleted scene features S Janaki appearing in a cameo as herself. During a midnight stroll, Ram and Jaanu stop outside the singer’s house to click a photo, and they get invited into her house to meet with the legendary singer. In the film, this scene precedes the iconic sequence in which Janu finally surprises Ram by singing ‘Yamunai Aatrile’ in his apartment.
In this deleted scene, Ram is heard complaining to Janaki amma that Janu only sings her songs and never anyone else’s. “I like ‘Yamunai Aatrile’ song, but she doesn’t sing because it’s not yours,” he says while Janaki is seen laughing.
She then chides her, saying, “If there’s a beautiful song, and you like it, you should sing!” Janu and Janaki amma then go on to sing one of her songs, ‘Poomalaye Thol Serava’ from Pagal Nilavu. This encounter explains why Janu finally decides to let go of the ‘I’ll sing only Janaki amma’s songs’ resolution.
Although deleted from the final theatrical version, the scene was eventually released on YouTube and was celebrated by fans online. Chinmayi, who also shares a close bond with Janaki, had dubbed for Trisha’s character, making it yet another memorable film for the audience.
Source: Cinema Express
