A MISFIRED COURTROOM DRAMA THAT MUTES THE WOMAN AT ITS CORE

TA crucial juncture in the film, David Abel Donovan (Suresh Gopi) states in a commanding manner,"Her voice must be heard here, now." Ironically, in a film seemingly centered on Janaki, a woman seeking justice after a traumatic assault, her voice is often drowned out by the grandstanding of men around her.

- VIVEK SANTHOSH

TA crucial juncture in the film, David Abel Donovan (Suresh Gopi) states in a commanding manner,"Her voice must be heard here, now." Ironically, in a film seemingly centered on Janaki, a woman seeking justice after a traumatic assault, her voice is often drowned out by the grandstanding of men around her. JSK: Janaki V v/s State of Kerala positions itself as a socially conscious legal drama, but what unfolds is a muddled film that seems more invested in delivering rousing speeches than delving into the emotional truth of its protagonist. Directed by Pravin Narayanan, the film arrives following a minor controversy around its title, with the CBFC objecting to the use of the name 'Janaki'. Ironically, it opens not with Janaki's story, but with an animated prologue tracing the childhood and rise of David to being a righteous lawyer. It is an odd choice for a film named after a woman survivor, immediately shifting focus to the man who will eventually become her champion in court. We are then introduced to Janaki (Anupama Parameswaran), an IT professional who is back in Kerala on a short trip. One night, she is sexually assaulted by an unknown man. Drugged and unconscious during the incident, she cannot identify her attacker. What follows is a protracted and often convoluted narrative of legal dead ends, performative remorse, and the slow arrival of justice, almost by accident.