Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran in a still from Janaki V vs State of Kerala, premiering August 15 on ZEE5 (Zee)
The drama is directed by Suresh Gopi, Union Minister and actor, along with Anupama Parameswaran, named Janaki V against State of Kerala (JSK), and now it was finally on the digital front after a bumpy road in reaching the theatre. The film saw the light of the day on July 17 after a prolonged tussle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), and it will now be streamed on ZEE5 from August 15.
The official announcement from ZEE5 regarding digital release came via Instagram along with a new trailer with the tagline, "No matter who opposes, justice will be achieved that is denied." According to the makers, the story is based on actual events.
The narrative revolves around Janaki, played by Anupama, a girl who is subjected to sexual assault and fights for justice through legal recourse. It starts as a personal battle but snowballs into a full-scale legal battle with a powerful defense attorney, David Abel Donovan (Suresh Gopi), and eventually leads Janaki to challenge the Chief Minister in court. What intensifies the emotional and legal roller-coaster ride becomes urgent after Janaki finds out that she's pregnant with an even fiercer fight against David.
Controversy Before the Release
Initially, JSK was to release on June 20, but it soon went through several hurdles. A hangover was from a production company based in Chennai, which filed a legal stay over unpaid dues valued at ₹1.3 crore, and the CBFC wouldn't approve either because of the usage of 'Janaki' as a title; 'Janaki' would also mean 'Goddess Sita.' Kerala High Court had stepped in, and on that, the filmmakers agreed to rename the movie Janaki V vs State of Kerala with other obligatory cuts.
Produced by J Phanindra Kumar for Cosmos Entertainments, with Sethuraman Nair Kankol as co-producer, the film has finally shown in theaters, fetching ₹3.27 crore worldwide according to industry tracker Sacnilk.
