Realistic ‘Janma’ is absorbing

Janma Poster
Rating: na
Presenters: Kajalkiran Kanakdhara Films
Producers: Tapan Acharya, Kajal Kiran
Director: Shirish Rane
Story : Anand Mhasvekar
Screenplay: Anand Mhasvekar
Cinematographer: Rahul Jadhav
Cast : Veena Jamkar, Reema, Ashok Shinde, Arun Nalawade, Sanjay Mone, Varsha Usgaonkar
Movie Review by: Ulhas Shirke

We all had heard about this Marathi film ‘Janma’ winning many awards at the film festivals and at the Award functions. But, unfortunately, the film was not finding a distributor for a long time. Finally, last week, the film was released and the makers had a sigh of relief while thanking the good Samaritan Sandeep Patil, who came to their rescue.

‘Janma’ presents a realistic tale in the life of a woman – Vandana Sarpotdar (Reema Lagoo) who is a divorcee mother with her only college going daughter – Nisha (Veena Jamkar) struck by leukemia (blood cancer). She struggles to find matching stem cells and bone marrow for her daughter. When a kind hearted doctor (Ashok Shinde) suggests her that only her blood offspring can have matching cells, she seeks help from a Gynaecologist (Smita Talwalkar).

But, things are not that easy for her, as she is 50 years old. Vandana is prepared to take all chances to save the life of her beloved daughter and takes the risk of delivering a baby. She even manages to persuade her ex-husband (Dilip Gujar) who is in relationship with another woman. Through artificial insemination, they produce the desired results but in the process they face another challenge in their life.

Writer Anand Mhasvekar and Director Shirish Rane have succeeded in presenting a realistic tale in an effective manner through an absorbing screenplay.

Paying more attention on the script, instead of unwanted additions required for cinematic format, the film holds the audience to their seats. Every scene has been presented with perfect home work and deep study of advancing medical science. Watch those scenes where the mother is told by her daughter’s attending doctor that the matching stem cells can be possible through her blood offspring and when the Gynecologist reveals the dangers of getting pregnant at 50.

Janma Reema Anand

Music does not have much to do with this film, but Mithilesh Patankar has provided a good support to the captivating screenplay. Sachin Natekar’s editing is perfect and so is the camera work by Dhananjay Kulkarni, while capturing all those emotion filled scenes of Mother and daughter. Well suited to his close up shots, all the artistes have performed very well.

This is a film especially for Reema Lagoo and she has given an outstanding performance in that tailor made role. No wonder, she has already won some awards for this role. Veena Jamkar has also played that difficult role of Nisha with confidence. Her body language suggests everything about her ailment. Dilip Gujar has limited role to play, but in two scenes he reacts very well, when he finds two separate rooms booked by his ex-wife and when his wife suggests him for an artificial insemination to serve the purpose. Anand Abhyankar as a well wisher family friend, Ashok Shinde as a doctor at the Cancer Institute and Smita Talwalkar as a Gynecologist, have given a satisfying performance. Others in the college campus are just fine.

The film not only creates that required impact on the audience with its unique attention-grabbing content but also goes on to educate the audience about the progress of medical science.