JSK – Janaki V v/s State of Kerala, is the latest Malayalam courtroom drama movie, starring actors Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran in the lead roles. Almost a month after its theatrical release, Janaki V v/s State of Kerala has had its OTT premiere on Zee5 and OTTplay Premium. Directed by Praveen Narayanan, the Malayalam film is available to stream in multiple languages, including Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
Story: Janaki V v/s State of Kerala is a controversial legal thriller based on the life of Janaki Vidhyadharan, an IT professional from Bengaluru. She is sexually assaulted while attending a festival. Determined to fight back, she faces David Abel Donovan, a brilliant defense lawyer representing the accused. The case turns into a tense court battle, which questions the fairness of India’s legal system.
Lead actor: Anupama Parameswaran plays Janaki, a young Bengaluru-based IT professional whose life is turned upside down after a sexual assault. Suresh Gopi plays Advocate David Abel Donovan, a fiery and morally complex lawyer.
Supporting Roles: The film also features notable actors like Shruthi Ramachandran, Madhav Suresh (Suresh Gopi’s son, making his film debut), Askar Ali, Divya Pillai, and Baiju Santhosh.
Controversy: The film faced significant controversy with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) over its original title, Janaki v/s State of Kerala. The CBFC objected to the use of the name “Janaki,” which is also a name for the Hindu goddess Sita, arguing that it was inappropriate to associate the name with a victim of sexual assault. After a legal battle and a Kerala High Court order, the producers agreed to make a change, changing the title to Janaki V v/s State of Kerala. The film also had to make some other minor changes, including muting the name “Janaki” in a few scenes.
After the controversy, the film was released in theaters on July 17, 2025, and later became available for streaming on ZEE5 on August 15, 2025. It is available to stream in multiple languages, including Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada.
Reviews: Janaki V v/s State of Kerala received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Although the film was praised for its strong performances, particularly by Suresh Gopi and Anupama Parameswaran, and for discussing an important subject, some reviews noted that the screenplay was confusing and sometimes shifted the focus from the protagonist’s struggles to the male lead’s heroism. The film’s pacing was also cited as a weakness, with some scenes feeling overly dramatic and predictable.