Janaka Aithe Ganaka

Written and directed by Sandeep Reddy Bandla, Janaka Aithe Ganaka starring Suhas is a Telugu film that explores the many questions modern middle-class families have to answer. There’s a strong ensemble cast in the movie with Sangeerthana, Vennela Kishore, and Rajendra Prasad, who come in to help support the story of married couples attempting to make life-altering decisions under the pressure they come under from friends, family, and society.

Plot

Prasad — who is an ordinary middle-class man with a wife, Sangeerthana — played by Suhas plays himself. However, Prasad has a special take on parenthood: he thinks that children should only be conceived if they can live a good quality of life. He believes this and thus takes a firm stand on family planning, to which his wife initially agrees.

The story of Janaka Aithe Ganaka changes dramatically when his wife, accidentally, becomes unexpectedly pregnant. You can say the idea that a girl would consent to sex is far off, based on what we are now. The rest of the movie deals with Prasad’s battle in court, his stance on parenthood and responsibility, and the personal and social dynamics.

Performance

Suhas is a good Prasad, that is, a man struggling between personal beliefs and societal expectations, and pulling it off is a good performance. The comedic timing, especially in those scenes with his on-screen ‘father’, played by Goparaju Ramana, turns the narrative a little relatable for the audience. Prasad’s father, Goparaju Ramana, gives a natural warmth to the film. A lot of comedian exchanges between his character and Suhas’s Prasad become the best moments from the movie.

The comic timing of Vennela Kishore is impeccable as is his role in the film and Sangeerthana as Prasad’s emotionally conflicted wife makes for a good story. In the role of judge as well, Rajendra Prasad does a good job, of balancing comedy and gravity quite well.

Direction and Screenplay

Sandeep Reddy Bandla’s direction gives a new perspective to middle-class life, the tiny nuances of family life, and the expectations of society. However, the screenplay strikes an even balance between humor and heavier themes, and, getting distracted by some long drawn-out scenes in the second half, the film loses some of the pacings. The subplots are sometimes blurrily interwoven and it is not until the final moments that are we given a sense of why we care about the supporting actors, and the rest of the main cast could have been done a larger favor by having better character development.

Music

Vijay Bulganin’s music works nicely with the film’s theme and provides the story with a little emotional depth without overpowering the tale. The background score serves to establish the key moments- especially the courtroom moments and family moments where it adds to the emotional feeling of the film. What they lack, however, are a handful of songs in the later half which, while interesting, could have been cut to help the arc feel more tightened.

Theme

The movie centers around a seldom-discussed theme: the question of having children in a world where the quality of life itself can not be guaranteed. The question is: Why did Prasad decide to sue after an unintended pregnancy when couples are supposed to be held accountable for their family planning decisions? These serious issues are handled through the comedic lens, while still imparting information, and creating thoughts that will be able to be understood by people with the lighter tone of investment.

Conclusion

Janaka Aithe Ganaka is a light-hearted, yet thought-provoking family drama that takes an unconventional approach to family planning, and dealing with middle-class struggles. Suhas and the rest of the supporting cast give the story a sweet life with humor and heartfelt performances, albeit the film’s second half takes a while to get going, and a few more scenes aren’t necessary. Thus, visit now on iBomma to watch the film.