Janaki vs Kerala’s state review: Noble intentions married by faulty execution
Janaki V vs State of Kerala Movie Review: Praveen Narayanan, The Malayalam suspense drama film star Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran written and directed.
In short
- Suresh Gopi returns to Cinema Post -2024 Lok Sabha win
- The film deal with social issues but suffers from inconsistent execution
- Anupama Parameswaran gave a standout performance
‘Janaki vs State of Kerala’ made a lot of noise before its release. Courtesy: The Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC) objects to the title ‘Janaki’, which refers to Goddess Sita. Starring Malayalam actor and member of Parliament Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameshewaran, the film ran into trouble due to legal issues on its title and censorship controversy and the film was finally released in theaters on 17 July.
Suresh Gopi-Starrer attempts to keep a mirror for ‘system’ in Kerala, but is probably resonated with situations faced by many citizens across the country. Was the film good and effective? Let’s know!
The story revolves around Janaki V (Anupama Parameswaran), an IT employee working in Bengaluru, who sexually abuses his hometown for a festival. David Abel Donovan (Suresh Gopi) is a lawyer who defends the accused in Janaki’s case, hence stands between him and justice. Who is right and who is wrong? On whom does the Indian judicial system stand? What happened to Janaki? With a ‘Whodunnit’ screenplay, the answers to these questions and the film’s plot are more.
Director Praveen Narayanan has written an interesting story that revolves on issues that women still face across the country. From cybercrime, staring, Eve-tzing, physical attacks and misuse, social stigma, and abortion, the filmmaker has included all these elements in his story, and prepared a smart drama written on paper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfq2fdtlar4
However, when it comes to screenplay and execution, the director feels what kind of film he wanted to make. The film chooses many sub-de-centers to use incorrectly, but develops them to an extent where the sub-plot seems more complicated, only to be dropped suddenly for them. The inconsistent integration of large -scale elements appears to tap only in the star appeal of Suresh Gopi, seems to be more distraught than a height.
‘Janaki vs State of Kerala’ paves the way for important dialogue in today’s society. But the social message of these facial facials, which only attains prominence at the very end of the film without a proper setup during its runtime, seems forced and ends which is barely effective. Considering all the elements in the disposal of the director – a clear struggle is clear in the story, theme and Suresh Gopi – the management and use of the available resources.
Suresh Gopi returns to the big screen after a significant difference and brings the dramatic attraction and energy that she always has. However, his performance – especially dialogue distribution – is a completely different acting wavelength from the rest of the artists. After carrying a more dramatic approach, Advocate David Abel Donovan’s character often feels out of the film’s main intensity and distracting.
Anupama Parameswaran Janaki V. As provides an impressive performance. Effectively communicates its sorrows, pain, trauma, conditions and strength at once, Anupama becomes an emotional bridge between the audience and the story. ‘Premam’ actor takes this weight well. The rest of the artists also give strong performances.
The film edited by Samjith Mohammed could have benefited from a crisp cut. While affecting the overall speed, many shots have long sex. While some sequences showed a creative effort to express emotions, no one stood out as especially innovative. Both cinematography and music followed a traditional approach, with nothing that left a permanent impression.
Finally, ‘Janaki vs State of Kerala’ is a film that sets with great intentions and socially relevant base, but stumbles in execution. While the story lies in suppressing real -world issues, the film struggles to find a consistent voice. With a more harmonious screenplay, restrained editing, and a clear story focus, this court room play may have more impact.
