JANAKI | THE DAUGHTER OF EARTH

Country: India

Director: Sasi MG

Runtime: 01:32:00

Cast: Thampi Antony (Lead Actor), Krishna Padmakumar (Lead Actor), Prakash Bare (Supporting), Leela Antharjjanam (Supporting)

Category: all feature length films

Short Synopsis: Janaki showcases the tumultuous life of 12 year old child, who lives in the unsafe openness of the street. Orphaned and abandoned, she goes through all the unpleasant odds until she finds abode at the Tharavad of Sekharan Master, an elderly Gandhian who treats her like his own grandchild. Janaki finds a sense of belonging in the love of Sekharan's family members and the harmony created by the innocent solidarity of children. But the outside world always hunts her down. The death of her protector throws Janaki back to the wretched realities, a life of abuse and exploitation. Janaki is the representative of dejected womanhood, hurt and humiliated.

Detailed Synopsis:Janaki showcases the tumultuous life of 12 year old child, who lives in the unsafe openness of the street. Orphaned and abandoned, she goes through all the unpleasant odds until she finds abode at the Tharavad of Sekharan Master, an elderly Gandhian who treats her like his grandchild. Janaki finds a sense of belonging in the love of Sekharan's family members and the harmony created by the innocent solidarity of children. But the outside world always hunts her down. The death of her protector throws Janaki back to the wretched realities, a life of abuse and exploitation. She goes back to the frightening terrain of the street and the uncertainties and terrors lurking in its furrows. Janaki is the representative of dejected womanhood, hurt and humiliated. The archetype of Janaki is Seetha, the myth from the Ramayana, the Indian Epic. She is the daughter of earth - the one who originates from and goes back to the mother earth. Things are not much different for our Janaki, the destitute child who comes from the street. Unlike the mythical character, she returns to the life in street with an unusual token of love - a pair of Gandhian methiyadi (wooden sandals) given by Sekharan Master - may be to lead and guard her in the long stretch of life that awaits outside. The film is written and directed by MG Sasi, who had won several awards for his first feature film Adayalangal (2007).