Suresh Gopi is in a totally different avatar in ‘Janakan'. He plays an ordinary father who displays strong emotions, not a police officer. If you want to see Suresh Gopi really acting and not doing what people want him to do, watch ‘Janakan'. You'll be surprised how director Sajeev N. R. has used him, in his maiden independent movie. He has assisted K. Madhu, Mohan and is assisting Lenin Rajendran in ‘Makaramanju' now.
Sajeev uses a different syntax for his movie. The formula that people have seen in a crime-related movie is thrown out the window and in its place you see something akin to reality and how intense emotions and loss spur people to do the impossible with ease. The theme music used sparsely, tugs at the heart. “We wanted to say that ordinary people do not get the kind of justice that influential people like politicians and other high officials get. That is the message,” says S. N. Swamy who has provided the story, script and dialogues. “Suresh Gopi has had a personal loss, of his daughter as a baby, in an accident. Maybe, that is why he could emote this well,” Swamy feels.
Surprise climax
The theme is a prototype of the several topical crimes against very young girls. Most cases remain static after public ire is quelled and then nobody hears of them again. In ‘Janakan', the storyline takes off at this juncture, leading to poetic justice. But this is not the climax. The surprise climax is the message, wherein lies the novelty. Mohanlal plays an urban advocate with élan, while Biju Menon and Harisree Ashokan portray their characters with great sensitivity. There is no funny man in the movie, keeping its genre clean. A deglamourised Kaveri plays Suresh Gopi's wife. Jyothirmayi in a doctor's role, does a very good job.
The good news is that new faces steal the show. “All these new faces came most unexpectedly,” says Sajeev. Priya Lal, who plays Suresh Gopi's daughter, is fresh, talented, and the director has extracted the very best from her. Krishna, another new face, is the smart, bad police woman, who belongs to the new age. She is actually a singer, who came to try her luck in acting. Parvati and Rajat Menon are the other good new faces.
Casting stands out. “We sat together, and decided the characters,” says Sajeev. The hardcore villain, Sampath, is cast just right, for he oozes villainy, brought out just by his body language, and eyes, even without the dialogue. Restrained acting by Suresh Gopi, (no swear words or English), who plays his age and Ashokan and Biju Menon in roles which give them plenty to do.
Though S. N. Swamy has been behind many CID movies, he has moved away from that stream and crime is given a topical treatment. Investigation is not the theme, but crime is. Director Sajeev has brought in an altogether realistic handling of crime stories. “In fact, it was Suresh Gopi who suggested that if Mohanlal played this role it would be great,” he added. Mohanlal does play the superstar though. He has more dialogues than actions, but the stunt scene in which he features has been choreographed well. However, the super star emerges from the scene with nary a bruise nor stain on his clothes!
Stunt directors Mafia Sasi, Run Ravi and Palani have jointly come up with very credible stunt scenes aided by Sanjeev Sankar's able camera. No gloss, no formula, just an intelligent film.
