India Today praised the film's socially relevant premise and strong performances especially by Anupama Parameshwaran but criticised its inconsistent screenplay and uneven pacing.Read at source
Janaki v/s State of Kerala 2025 
Synopsis
Janaki v/s State of Kerala
JSK: Janaki V v/s State of Kerala is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language courtroom legal thriller film written and directed by Pravin Narayanan. It stars Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran. It is produced by J.
- Director
- Pravin Narayanan
- Studio
- —
- Run time
- 154 min
- Language
- Malayalam
Reviews
6 Indian-media reviews, grouped by reception.
Critics' consensus
Mixed
Critics' aggregate for Janaki v/s State of Kerala is 50/100 from The Indian Express and The Times (India).
Synthesized by AI (gpt-5-codex-omdb-enricher) from 6 source-backed reviews — verify against the linked sources.Watch points
- performances
- writing
Positive 3
The Indian Express rated it 2.5/5, praises for its rare survivor centric narrative but criticizes it for being overshadowed by unnecessary "superstar syndrome" hijacking the spotlight.Read at source
The Times of India rated the film 2.5/5, stating that its strong premise is let down by a muddled screenplay and overlong monologues.Read at source
Critical 3
The New Indian Express criticised the film as a misfired courtroom drama that sidelines its female lead and centers male voices instead.Read at source
The Hindu gave a negative review criticised the film as "insensitive and pointless," stating it became an overly star-driven drama instead of a sensitive courtroom story.Read at source
The Week described the film as a polished legal thriller featuring a refined performances, but criticized the film for its confused and inconsistent narrative structure.Read at source
Details
Technical specs
- Run time
- 154 min
- Language
- Malayalam
- Country
- IN
- Director
- Pravin Narayanan
Trivia
- The film was written and directed by Pravin Narayanan and produced by J. Phanindra Kumar under the banner of Cosmos Entertainments.
- Principal photography for the film commenced in November 2022 and wrapped on 9 November 2023.
- The film's background score was composed by Ghibran, while the music was composed by Gireesh Narayanan.
- The film's release was delayed by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) due to an objection regarding the use of the name Janaki for the main character.
- A legal dispute in May 2025 resulted in an interim injunction from the Madras High Court after a petition alleged non-payment of ₹1.3 crore by the producers.
- Zee5 acquired the digital rights to the film, which was released on the platform on 15 August 2025.
