Chennai, Aug 21 (IANS) The last rites of Padma Shri Award winner and one of South India's iconic actresses Sowcar Janaki, who passed away here at 2.00 pm on Friday due to age-related ailments, is to be held on Saturday afternoon.

Aravind, the grand son-in-law of the actress, told mediapersons that all the family members of the veteran star had arrived at her mother's home in Chennai to pay their last respects and that the last rites of the actress would be held at the Besant Nagar Crematorium on Saturday.

"The public can pay homage from Saturday morning and we intend to perform the last rites by late afternoon," he added.

Sowcar Janaki, whose original name was Sankaramanchi Janaki, was born on December 12, 1931. The Padma Shri Award winner, who has delivered several exceptional performances in cult classics, has worked in over 400 movies in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam cinema over a period of seven decades.

The late actress is survived by her three children, four grand children and four great grand children.

Telugu Mega Star Chiranjeevi has condoled the demise of the veteran actress.

Taking to his X timeline to express his condolences, Chiranjeevi said that the news of the demise of the renowned actress and Padma Shri awardee had caused immense sorrow.

Pointing out that her illustrious cinematic journey, which began with the film ‘Shavukaru,’ spanned nearly seven decades across Telugu, Tamil, and several other languages, Chiranjeevi said that Sowcar Janaki, with her natural acting, had breathed life into diverse roles and earned an indelible place in the hearts of audiences.

"She was a great actress whose contributions to the Indian film industry will remain unforgettable," Chiranjeevi said and added that he prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the soul of the veteran actress.

"I convey my deepest condolences to her family members and fans," he added.

--IANS

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