Legendary playback singer S. Janaki was celebrated for her ability to reshape her voice to suit any character—be it a child, a young woman or an elderly person. Her versatility, admirers say, even extended to singing convincingly in a male voice on occasion.
At one music programme, Janaki performed the song “Rajavin Paarvai Raaniyin Pakkam” alongside veteran singer P. Susheela. While Susheela handled the female portions, Janaki unexpectedly announced that she would now become “her lover” and shifted into a male voice.
The sudden switch reportedly left the audience spellbound and surprised fellow artistes present at the venue, including singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam.
Singer Chinmayi, in a condolence message, also recalled a similar moment from another concert—where listeners, unaware it was Janaki, assumed a male singer was performing and wondered who the artiste was.
