Janaki V vs State of Kerala’ Review: Suresh Gopi-Anupama Parameswaran Drama Misses the Mark

Quick Summary

• Janaki V Vs State of Kerala is a Malayalam courtroom drama directed by debutant Praveen Narayanan.
• The film stars Suresh Gopi as advocate David Abel Donovan, Anupama Parameswaran as Janaki (a rape victim), with Shruti Ramachandran, Divya Pillai, and others in the cast.
• Storyline: Janaki,an IT professional from Bengaluru,faces a sexual assault during her hometown visit; subsequent courtroom arguments intensely scrutinize these events.
• The film employs over-the-top audio and visual cues and struggles to balance addressing sensitive issues with projecting Suresh Gopi’s superhero-like persona.
• Themes include political commentary and dramatic courtroom exchanges but are criticized for their irrelevance and insensitivity to serious topics like rape.
• The added ‘V’ in the title was due to censorship mandates.

indian Opinion Analysis
Janaki V Vs state of Kerala wrestles with delicate topics such as sexual assault while embedding political undertones through its exaggerated courtroom drama format. For viewers seeking profound insights or responsible storytelling on critical social issues, the approach may seem insensitive or misplaced-trivializing matters like rape into sensationalized narratives or using them for political framing undermines their significance.

The director’s reliance on 1990s-style filmmaking combined with disconnected writing hampers audience engagement in a story that demands nuance over loud visuals or unrelated theatrics. although it attempts reflections on societal themes through legal discourse, its lack of impactful execution risks alienating viewers looking for meaningful cinema tackling gender-based violence collaboratively rather than controversially.

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