Janaki V vs State of Kerala movie review: This Suresh Gopi-starrer suffers from ‘superstar syndrome’

At its core, JSK is about Janaki’s fight for Janaki. As the title makes abundantly clear, it’s Janaki v/s State of Kerala; no one else is fighting on her behalf, not even David. Yet, almost forcefully and often out of tune with the narrative, he is given moments to deliver lengthy, dramatic speeches reminiscent of old Suresh Gopi films. Nonetheless, this tendency is, unfortunately, just one of several shortcomings in the film, written and directed by Pravin Narayanan.

Following a fateful night when she was chloroformed, sedated and sexually assaulted, Janaki Vidhyadharan embarks on a legal battle to get justice. Although the police pick up two suspects and recover some evidence from their possession, the chargesheet remains weak, as officials are unable to find some key details. What adds to this is that Janaki never saw the face of the culprit(s). Meanwhile, Janaki loses her father, who brought her up as a single parent, giving her all the love and care in the world.

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In court, David Abel, a firebrand lawyer known for defending the innocent and downtrodden, represents the accused and successfully proves their innocence. This leaves Janaki in the dark, made worse by the fact that she is pregnant as a result of the rape. However, with the support of some well-intentioned people, such as her friend Naveen (Madhav Suresh), his sister Saira (Divya Pillai), CPO Firoz (Askar Ali), and others, Janaki decides to continue her fight. Well aware that Janaki was wronged and deserves justice, David also begins to help her silently. But the case is deeply complicated, with no clue yet as to who the real perpetrator(s) is. The remainder of the film follows Janaki’s battle, inside and outside the courtroom, to uncover the truth and prove her case.

In many ways, JSK comes across as a poorly executed amalgamation of director Jeethu Joseph’s Mohanlal-starrer Neru (2023) and Shaji Kailas’ Chinthamani Kolacase (2006), featuring Suresh Gopi himself in the lead role. While JSK bears clear similarities to both films, what it lacks is a tightly written script that doesn’t meander aimlessly before reaching key plot points.

One of the major shortcomings of Pravin’s screenplay lies in the way the parallel investigation by Janaki, her allies and David unfolds. Though this aspect had the potential to keep viewers engaged with gradual revelations and mounting suspense, the way the discoveries are made and what is actually uncovered feels too convenient. It even makes one question whether the case was truly as complex as initially presented.

JSK, much like Chinthamani Kolacase, does suggest that the failure lies with the investigating officer’s incompetence. However, while the Shaji Kailas film, its problematic aspects aside, crafted the investigation like a puzzle that both characters and viewers could figure out together, JSK simply lets things happen. Revelations fall into place without much buildup, and courtroom scenes follow suit with minimal dramatic weight.

Adding to the film’s struggles is its weak character development. Unlike Neru and Chinthamani Kolacase, where emotional bonds (like those between Sara Mohammed and her parents, and Veeramani Warrier and his daughter Chinthamani, respectively) were established early and effectively, JSK never gives us a meaningful understanding of its characters and their relationships. We’re told that Janaki was close with her father, but their relationship is rarely explored, making it difficult to feel the emotional weight she feels over his loss. Apart from a few outbursts and the numbed-by-pain expression Anupama carries throughout, the writing fails to convey the depth of her trauma.

Similarly, while the film says that Naveen knew Janaki from before, it never clarifies how or why, leaving his unwavering commitment to her justice arc feeling inserted for the sake of it. Had Pravin invested more in building the dynamics between various characters, JSK might have built a stronger emotional connection with the audience.

From the very beginning, JSK gives Suresh Gopi, who also serves as a BJP MP and MoS, ample opportunities to deliver commentary on incidents that closely mirror real-life events, particularly the ones in which the Kerala government has faced public heat. From David taking on a case against a prelate whose name and alleged crimes bear a striking resemblance to those of infamous Bishop Franco Mulakkal, to a cooperative bank scam, and even his criticism of the media — warning them, “Don’t scratch me, I will scrape” — the film gives Suresh Gopi several moments to boost his political image. However, considering that he was silent during the JSK controversy, these scenes elicit more chuckles than introspection.

Where Pravin’s script shines is in its sensitive handling of abortion rights, particularly in cases involving pregnancies resulting from rape. The film addresses this without filtering it through a masculine or societal lens. Amid the narrative shortcomings, what works in JSK’s favour is Pravin’s stylistic and emotionally resonant direction. He also deserves praise for refraining from graphically depicting the assault, something which many male filmmakers still fail to understand.

Although the film treats Suresh Gopi like a “superstar”, he is unable to elevate key moments beyond a certain point, mainly due to the artificiality of his dialogue delivery. While his presence does lend weight to several scenes, his poorly styled beard makes him appear somewhat caricatured.

Anupama Parameswaran gives a good performance as Janaki, though her dialogue delivery occasionally feels manufactured. She is at her best in Janaki’s most vulnerable moments, which deserved more thoughtful execution. While her loud outburst felt like a powerful artistic choice the first time, its repeated use weakens the emotional impact.

Madhav Suresh here delivers one of the worst performances by a Malayalam actor in recent times. His blank expressions undercut many scenes of emotional tension, and even in shots where he’s merely present, his body language feels out of sync with the rest of the film.

Although Gireesh Narayanan has attempted to bring unique tracks to JSK, they fall flat, with none of the songs blending seamlessly into the narrative. Meanwhile, Ghibran’s background score is serviceable at best. Renadive’s cinematography, on the other hand, effectively captures the essence of the film and remains one of its technical strengths.

Janaki V vs State of Kerala movie cast: Suresh Gopi, Anupama Parameswaran, Shruthi Ramachandran, Divya Pillai, Askar Ali, Baiju Santhosh, Madhav Suresh
Janaki V vs State of Kerala movie director: Pravin Narayanan
Janaki V vs State of Kerala movie rating: 2.5 stars

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