A superfan's celebrity Amma

 An ardent fan of S Janaki, Naveen has developed a close friendship with the singer, 

who he been listening to since his early teens 

You can call him singer S Janaki's number one fan. But then again not all fans have a close friendship with their idols.

Naveen,32, a resident of NR Mohalla, has been listening to famous female playback singer since his boyhood days. His fandom is to such an extent that he has named even his house and his furniture shop as 'S Janaki.' On her part, the singer is also very close to Naveen and  his family.

Naveen never misses an opportunity to attend Janaki's public programmes, wherever it is held. The bond is so close that Naveen connects with his idold atleast four days a week over the phone.

Hailing from a middle class family, Naveen was introduced to S Janaki's songs through the radio as in his early teens. Since then, his long standing ambition was to meet Janaki.

Right from the age of 13, he met several film crew members seeking her number. One lucky day, he got her number and called her up immediately. He was asked to call after a month by a housemaid, saying that Janaki was out of station.

"It took me three years to get her number. The one month of waiting was very hard to pass. I was eagerly waiting for the D Day, and finally my line was connected to Janaki. When I heard her voice over phone for the first time, there was no bounds to my happiness,"," he says.

Naveen says he talked nonstop for the next 10 minutes, without even allowing Janaki to respond. "I expressed my desire to meet her once, and I got an appointment on December 25, 1999,” he says.

Naveen remembers being in front of Janaki's house at 8am sharp. "However I learnt that she had left for her sister's house and so I waited till 12 noon," he says.  Janaki's daughter in-law informed her that  her fan was waiting for her and returned from her sister's house. "I rushed towards her, and fell at her feet. Since then am in touch with Janaki Amma,” says Naveen.

Since then, Naveen, visits her every year to wish her on her birthday. "When I informed her I was going to open a furniture shop and wanted to name it after her, she immediately agreed," she says. To the good fortune of Naveen, more was in store. "After two days she called me and informed that she was coming for the first time to Mysuru to inaugurate my shop. It was an unbelievable movement and unexpected thing in my life," he says. Janaki even stayed in Naveen's home with his family.  No one believed Naveen when he told her that she was coming to inaugurate his shop. 

As the years have passed his bond with the singer has only become stronger. "Janaki Amma comes to my house at least once in every two or three months. It is a day of festivities  when Amma visits our house. We would go sightseeing to Chamundi Hills, Palace and Gopalswamy Hills together," she adds. In her many interviews she has also talked about Naveen.

Janaki has also attended Naveen's marriage, and came from his house inauguration. "I am in constant touch with Janaki Amma,” he adds.

While even Janaki does not have a collection of all of her songs, her superfan arranged for the same. "Most of the time I discuss with her about the songs she has sung, and how it changes the mood of a person," he adds. Naveen has made a collection of all of her songs and  has given these to her. "I am very glad that she treats me as her son and showers me with love and affection. I am blessed for the friendship" she says.

Naveen says that his idol is shifting base to Hyderabad. "She is planning to give her last performances in Mysuru. I and my friends are working to host a programme for her," he says.