Janani Movie Review

How can a Neuro surgeon double up as a gynecologist? Beats me...And you too shall feel like beating a hasty retreat out of the stuffy cinema hall showing 'Janani', a weird family drama gravitating between being an incest-fest to making a joke out of artificial insemination and brain tumours. Director Chandar Bahl must take a long holiday and pledge that he would never make a film again.

This supposed-to-be-a-family-film starts off with a rain-soaking-figure-hugging song-n-dance number between Neha (Sonica) and Rahul (Vineet) followed by an explicit love making scene in Neha's hostel which has a bathroom fit for a king. And no she is no princess. Instead her mom Akanksha (Bhagyashree) is a nurse in a nursing home where Rahul was born. This world is a small place...Isn't it! If that's not enough then eat this.... Neha is Rahul's sister. At least that's what Rahul's parents Urmila (Ayesha Jhulka) and Raj (Mohnish Behl) tell them when they meet them for their marriage. The poor boy Rahul curses himself for doing all those sinful activities....Phew!

After umpteen flashbacks the story becomes even more murky and confusing. Akanksha worked in Urmila and Raj's factory. They helped when her son Rahul was diagnosed with Brain Tumor. She tried giving back in kind by conceiving Raj's kid (That's where artificial insemination comes into picture). Rahul dies and Akanksha can't handle that. Her husband Tarun (Aman Verma) can't accept the kid dwelling in her body as his own.  Feel like taking a breath of fresh air. So will you as you watch this seamless crass movie having no direction whatsoever.

The only reason why it is made bearable is because of a superb effort by Bhagyashree (Remember she didn't do any movie after making a great start with 'Maine Pyaar Kiya' opposite Salman Khan). Her emotional content, vulnerability and strength emerging out of that vulnerability gives a respite to this regressive fare. Even Ayesha Jhulka impresses and so do Mohnish Behl and Anjana Mumtaz. As for Aman Verma, he expectedly overacts.

Music by Nirmal Pawar doesn't have anything to offer except for a Vinod Rathod number that grips emotionally. Direction by Chander Behl is listless and jaded. It's ironical that on one end family entertainer has made a comeback with Sooraj Barjatya's 'Vivah' while on the other hand, people are mutilating the genre by adding spice to no effect. At the Box Office, it stands no chance. The multiplex where I watched the film had a special offer for this film...Get one ticket free with every ticket. Well...I would say, don't watch it even if it's for free.

Janani: Regressive-Fare

Star Rating : * (Only For Bhagyashree's acting)