SPOILER FREE Review- Jana Gana Mana: An uneven and chaotic film that asks relevant questions.
Jana Gana Mana has multiple narrators, multiple protagonists and throws light on multiple social and political issues of the past and present in a largely incoherent drama that could have been a lot better. Yet the very nature of the themes that are fearlessly touched on makes the movie a relevant and engaging watch.
Written by Sharis Mohammed and directed by Dijo Jose Antony, the movie revolves around a series of events following the rape and murder of a University professor. Apart from its central theme which is best not revealed to preserve the unpredictability of the movie, several scenes and dialogues are sharp references to recent events from across the country. Demonetization, police brutality on college campuses, politicians inciting riots etc are fresh in the memory of any Indian who keeps an eye on what is happening around. The film also portrays caste discrimination in universities albeit through saviorist lens with people from marginalized communities reduced to victims for the titular character to make their speeches about. However the very fact these issues were given space from an industry that almost never critically portrays casteism in a mainstream film is important to note.
Excellent acting performances from Prithiviraj Sukumaran and Suraj Venjaramoodu makes up for an average screenplay. Mamta Mohandas,Shammi Thilakan and Vincy Aloshious put up note-worthy performances. The cinematography was very effective at showing the scale of student protests( which occurs several times throughout the storyline) and was decent otherwise. Jakes Bejoy’s invigorating music which felt excessive and jarring at times also did its job at crucial junctures so much that it is still ringing in my ears.
To sum up, Jana Gana Mana is a film that is pertinent to the times we live in, is truly pan-Indian in the nature of the politics it speaks and worth watching even with all its flaws.

-Kiran Palathingal

(Also posted on Instagram @recusant_)

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Jana Gana Mana Movie- Spoiler Free Review

Kiran Palathingal

Kiran Palathingal

I write about socio-political issues, religion and cinema

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International Workers Day

Kiran Palathingal

International Earth Day(2021)

Kiran Palathingal

The Great Indian Kitchen- A review

Kiran Palathingal

Ambedkar Revisited (originally written and published in 2021)

Kiran Palathingal

Pada: a gripping and powerful piece of cinema

Kiran Palathingal

Indian Christians facing persecution

Kiran Palathingal