Who Is Svjetlana Knežević

Svjetlana Knežević is a Serbian and former Yugoslav film, television, and stage actress, born on June 7, 1950, in Sarajevo. Over more than five decades of her career, Svjetlana Knežević has built a recognizable body of work spanning dozens of film, television, and theatre roles. She is best known to wider audiences for playing Svetlana in the cult Yugoslav series "Grlom u jagode," as well as for playing Anita Rakić in the series "Srećni ljudi." Before dedicating herself to acting, Svjetlana Knežević trained as a ballet dancer, and the combination of stage discipline and natural talent has marked her entire artistic path.

Early Life and Childhood

Svjetlana Knežević was born in the Marijin Dvor neighborhood of Sarajevo, into a family of young teachers — her mother was 21 and her father 22 at the time of her birth. Her parents divorced when Svjetlana was only three years old, after which her father moved to Krajišnik, in Vojvodina, while she stayed with her mother in Sarajevo.

She has described her childhood as cheerful and full of play. She spent her summer holidays with her father and his family in Krajišnik, while time with her mother's side of the family was spent in Ilidža, where numerous cousins provided plenty of company for games. Svjetlana Knežević singles out the arrival of the circus in Marijin Dvor as one of her fondest childhood memories, saying she still remembers the smells from that event and that clowns were the true heroes of her childhood.

According to her own account, she first appeared on stage at the age of seven, thanks to Sarajevo's well-developed Children's Theatre at the time. For her, performing in front of an audience felt like a completely natural state from the earliest age, so there was never any doubt about what she would do in life.

Education

The first serious step in Svjetlana Knežević's artistic education was ballet. She graduated from ballet school and, for several years, was a permanent member of the ballet ensemble of the National Theatre in Sarajevo. Thanks to her exceptional talent, she received a prestigious scholarship to further her training in Leningrad, where she spent part of her education, performing in several productions over three seasons.

A turning point in her education came with the founding of the Drama Studio in Sarajevo, a three-year school that served as the forerunner of today's Academy of Performing Arts. The studio was established due to a need for young actors, and Svjetlana Knežević enrolled, leaving ballet behind and finally committing to acting. Already in her second year of study, she was admitted to the drama ensemble, marking the beginning of her professional acting career.

Early Career

Svjetlana Knežević began her professional acting career in the late 1960s and early 1970s. During this period, she filmed the series "Karađoz" in Zagreb, followed by the film "Put u raj," whose screenplay was written by Miroslav Krleža, as well as the drama "Pjetlov kljun." In Sarajevo, she continued building her career through the films "Klopka za generala" and "Deveto čudo na istoku," as well as several television dramas, including an adaptation drawing on the story of Cyrano de Bergerac.

The actress herself has emphasized how much it meant to her that, at the start of her career, her acting partners included prominent actors of the time — Ljuba Tadić and Ljubiša Samardžić — while she described Bekim Fehmiu as the greatest gentleman she met during her career. Alongside them, in the early phase of her career she also worked with Petar Božović. From each of these colleagues, as she herself has stated, she learned something.

In 1972, Svjetlana Knežević became a member of the Terazije Theatre in Belgrade, an ensemble in which she would remain until her retirement. This engagement provided a stable foundation for her theatre career, while she simultaneously continued to build her film and television filmography.

Rise to Popularity

The 1970s brought Svjetlana Knežević a series of notable roles, including the role of Duško's girlfriend in the film "Svadba" (1973), the role of Dragica Tucović in the series "Dimitrije Tucović" (1974), and the role of a student in the film "Pavle Pavlović" (1975). She also worked on regional co-productions, such as the series "Patot kon idninata," filmed in 1975 and 1976, in which she played the character Angelina.

The turning point in her popularity came with the role of Svetlana in the series "Grlom u jagode" in 1976 — a project that, according to numerous sources, remained etched in the collective memory of the Yugoslav audience. It is precisely through this role that younger generations of viewers best remember Svjetlana Knežević, and her appearance, red hair, and distinctive stage presence remained part of the popular culture of that era.

During the 1980s, she continued to build her filmography through roles in projects such as "Tren" (1978, 1980), "Sivi dom" (1986), "Vrteška" (1986), "Uvek spremne žene" (1987), and "Zaljubljeni" (1987), confirming her versatility in portraying different genres — from drama to comedy.

Greatest Achievements

One of the most significant achievements in Svjetlana Knežević's career is her role in the series "Srećni ljudi," broadcast from 1994 to 1996, in which she played Anita Rakić, a member of the jury for the Miss Yugoslavia pageant. This role further cemented her popularity and, alongside her role in "Grlom u jagode," remains one of the two characters by which the widest audience remembers her best.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Svjetlana Knežević continued to be active on television, with roles in the TV film "Ljubav, ženidba i udadba" (1997) and the series "Porodično blago" (2001–2002), where she played Lister's wife, as well as in the series "Lisice" (2003), in which she played Žika's mother.

Also notable is her appearance in the short film "Slobodan pad" (2004), in which she played the role of a mother, and in the series "Stižu dolari" (2004), where she played Patak's wife. In the mid-to-late 2000s, she appeared in the series "Selo gori, a baba se češlja" in the role of Polovnjača, and in the series "Biro za izgubljene stvari" (2008), playing Selena's mother. After a years-long pause, the actress returned to television screens in 2025 as well, with the role of Nikolina's mother in the series "Pasjača," demonstrating that she remained active into her ninth decade of life.

Alongside her film and television career, Svjetlana Knežević has been present on theatre stages for decades. As a long-standing member of the Terazije Theatre, audiences today can still see her in the play "Cigani lete u nebo," testifying to the continuity of her stage work even in the later years of her career.

Personal Life

Svjetlana Knežević's personal life has for years been tied to her marriage to fellow actor Mihailo "Miša" Janketić. They met through a mutual friend, actor Zlatan Dorić, during the filming of the film "Horoskop," when Svjetlana was only sixteen years old. According to the family story, upon seeing her on set at the time, Miša Janketić declared that when she grew up, he would marry her. Their relationship, as the actress herself has recounted, only began to develop a few years later, when they became close again.

Four children were born of this marriage: sons Marko Janketić and Radomir Janketić, and daughters Milica Janketić and Iva Ćirić. Two of the children, Marko and Milica, continued the family tradition and dedicated themselves to acting, while Iva Ćirić built a career as a ballet dancer, and Radomir Janketić works as a police officer. Svjetlana Knežević has emphasized that she herself was the initiator of building a large family and that, had it been possible, she would have had even more children.

The actress has said in interviews that balancing a demanding acting career with the role of a mother was not easy, particularly given the circumstances of the society in which she grew up and worked, but that she has retained the ability to remember mostly the good moments. She has named her children and grandchildren as her most important life achievement, and has described happiness through simple things — a sunny morning, her grandchildren's laughter, her children's successes, and trips to the seaside.

Interesting Facts

• At just 21 years old, the magazine "Start" described Svjetlana Knežević as "the most graceful actress from Sarajevo."
• Before dedicating herself to acting, she was a permanent member of the ballet ensemble of the National Theatre in Sarajevo and trained in Leningrad.
• Her entire family today represents a kind of artistic dynasty — her husband and two of her children work in acting, while her third child is a ballet dancer.
• Her role in the series "Grlom u jagode" is, according to observers and media alike, still singled out as one of her most recognizable, thanks to her red hair and striking stage appearance.
• Despite her long-standing career, Svjetlana Knežević has remained relatively private in public life, rarely discussing her personal life outside a narrow circle of interviews.

Awards and Recognition

Based on available and verifiable sources, it is not possible to confirm with certainty any specific formal awards or honors that Svjetlana Knežević received during her career. Her recognition in the public eye is reflected primarily through her long-standing presence in film, television, and theatre, as well as through the lasting popularity of roles such as the one in "Grlom u jagode," which secured her status as one of the recognizable actresses of Yugoslav and Serbian theatre and film.

Legacy and Influence

Svjetlana Knežević's legacy is reflected above all in the longevity and consistency of her career — from the small Children's Theatre in Sarajevo, through the ballet stage, to leading roles in some of the most-watched Yugoslav television series. Her role as Svetlana in "Grlom u jagode" remained part of the collective memory of the generations who grew up with Yugoslav television, while her role as Anita Rakić in "Srećni ljudi" further cemented her place in the popular culture of the 1990s.

Beyond her own body of work, Svjetlana Knežević's influence can also be felt through the family she built with Miša Janketić — two of their children continued the acting tradition, while a third works in the world of ballet, the field in which Svjetlana herself began her artistic journey. In this way, her artistic legacy is also being passed on to a new generation of performers across the former Yugoslav region.

Biography – Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Svjetlana Knežević?

Svjetlana Knežević is a Serbian and former Yugoslav film, television, and stage actress, born in 1950 in Sarajevo, best known for her role in the series "Grlom u jagode."

When was Svjetlana Knežević born?

Svjetlana Knežević was born on June 7, 1950.

Where was Svjetlana Knežević born?

According to most available sources, Svjetlana Knežević was born in Sarajevo, in the Marijin Dvor neighborhood, although some foreign sources list Zagreb as her birthplace.

What is Svjetlana Knežević best known for?

Svjetlana Knežević is best known for playing Svetlana in the series "Grlom u jagode" and for playing Anita Rakić in the series "Srećni ljudi."

Was Svjetlana Knežević a ballet dancer?

Yes, before dedicating herself to acting, Svjetlana Knežević was a permanent member of the ballet ensemble of the National Theatre in Sarajevo and trained in Leningrad.

Who is Svjetlana Knežević married to?

Svjetlana Knežević is married to actor Mihailo "Miša" Janketić.

How many children does Svjetlana Knežević have?

Svjetlana Knežević and Miša Janketić have four children: Marko, Milica, Iva, and Radomir.

Are Svjetlana Knežević's children involved in the arts?

Yes, her son Marko Janketić and daughter Milica Janketić are actors, while her daughter Iva Ćirić is a ballet dancer. Her son Radomir Janketić works as a police officer.

Which theatre did Svjetlana Knežević work at?

Since 1972, Svjetlana Knežević has been a member of the Terazije Theatre in Belgrade, where she remained until her retirement and where she still occasionally performs today.

Is Svjetlana Knežević still an active actress?

Yes, the actress has remained active in the later years of her career, including a role in the 2025 series "Pasjača" and performances in the play "Cigani lete u nebo."

Conclusion

Svjetlana Knežević represents an example of an actress whose career has spanned several decades and several different artistic disciplines — from ballet, through film and television, to theatre. The path she began as a child on the stage of Sarajevo's Children's Theatre, through a ballet scholarship in Leningrad, to roles in cult series such as "Grlom u jagode" and "Srećni ljudi," testifies to a consistently dedicated relationship to the acting profession. Alongside this, Svjetlana Knežević built a harmonious family with actor Miša Janketić, whose children continued the artistic tradition, so that her legacy has outlived her own filmography and become part of a broader artistic story of the region.