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webExclusive Report --> ചിരിയുടെ ഘോഷയാത്ര; ‘ജാനേമൻ’ റിവ്യു

അയ്യപ്പദാസ്

Published: November 20 , 2021 09:56 PM IST

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ഏകാന്തതയുടെ മഞ്ഞുവീഴ്ചയില്‍ നിന്ന് ആഘോഷത്തിന്റെ രാവിലേക്ക് ഓടിയെത്തുന്ന ജോയ്‌മോന്‍. അയാളെ കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നതൊക്കെയും ജീവിതത്തിന്റെ വൈകാരികത കലര്‍ന്ന അനുഭവങ്ങളായിരുന്നു. അപ്പോഴും അയാളുടെ നിഷ്‌കളങ്കത പ്രേക്ഷകനെ പൊട്ടിച്ചിരിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരുന്നു.  തമ്മിലടിച്ചും കലഹിച്ചും പിണങ്ങി നില്‍ക്കുന്നവരോട് ദാ ഇത്രയൊക്കെയെയുള്ളു ജീവിതമെന്ന് പറയാതെ പറയുകയാണ് ‘ജാനേമന്‍’ എന്ന കൊച്ചു ‘വലിയ’ ചിത്രം.  സ്‌നേഹിക്കാനും പരസ്പരം കൈകോര്‍ക്കാനും പഠിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ചിത്രം ഹൃദയവിശാലതയുള്ള കുറേ നല്ല മനസ്സുകളുടെ കഥകൂടിയാണ്. ഒരു പിറന്നാള്‍ കേക്കിന്റെ മധുരം നുകര്‍ന്ന സുഖമുണ്ട് ‘ജാനേമന്നിന്’.  പൊട്ടിച്ചിരിപ്പിക്കുന്ന തമാശകളും അതില്‍ ചേര്‍ന്നു നില്‍ക്കുന്ന ജീവിതം പകരുന്ന വൈകാരികതയുമൊക്കെ ജാനേമന്നിനെ ഒരു മികച്ച ചിത്രമാക്കി മാറ്റുന്നു.

കാനഡയില്‍ നഴ്‌സായി ജോലി ചെയ്യുന്ന ജോയ്‌മോന്റെ ജീവിതത്തിലെ ഒറ്റപ്പെടലുകള്‍ കുറച്ചൊന്നുമല്ല അയാളെ മടുപ്പിച്ചിരുന്നത്. ഏകാന്തതയുടെ തടവറയില്‍ അയാള്‍ സ്വയം ഇല്ലാതായി. ഒടുവില്‍ എല്ലാം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് തന്റെ പിറന്നാള്‍ ആഘോഷം ഒരു സംഭവമാക്കാന്‍ നാട്ടിലേക്കെത്തുന്നു. സുഹൃത്തുക്കളായ ഫൈസലും സമ്പത്തുമൊക്കെ ഒപ്പം ചേര്‍ന്നതോടെ ജോയ്മോന്റെ പിറന്നാൾ രാത്രി സംഭവബഹുലമായി മാറി.  ജോയ്‌മോന്‍ ഒരുക്കുന്ന സര്‍പ്രൈസുകളും അതിനെ തുടര്‍ന്നുണ്ടാകുന്ന പൊല്ലാപ്പുകളുമാണ് ജാനേമന്നിനെ മുന്നോട്ടുകൊണ്ടു പോകുന്നത്. ഒരു പകലും ആ രാത്രിയും നടക്കുന്ന രസകരമായ കഥകൂടിയാണ് ചിത്രം.

ജോയ്‌മോന്റെ നിഷ്‌കളങ്കതയില്‍ വിരിയുന്ന ചിരികള്‍ പ്രേക്ഷകനു പകരുന്നത് പൊട്ടിച്ചിരിയുടെ ഘോഷയാത്ര തന്നെയാണ്. സിനിമയുടെ ആദ്യാവസാനം ഈ ചിരി നിര്‍ത്താന്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞു എന്നതു തന്നെയാണ് സിനിമയെ പ്രേക്ഷകനോട് ചേര്‍ത്തു നിര്‍ത്തുന്നത്. സിനിമയില്‍ വന്നു പോകുന്ന ബഹുഭൂരിപക്ഷം കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളും എവിടെയെങ്കിലുമൊക്കെ നമ്മെ ചിരിപ്പിക്കും. അത് ചിരിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ വേണ്ടി ചിരിപ്പിക്കുന്ന കോമഡി അല്ല എന്നതും പറയാതെ വയ്യ. കഥാപാത്രങ്ങള്‍ അവരുടെ ദയനീയാവസ്ഥകള്‍ സത്യസന്ധമായി പറയുമ്പോഴും അതിലെ കണ്ണീരിനെ മായ്ക്കാന്‍ ഒരു ചിരി ഉറപ്പാണ്. ഒരു പൊട്ടിക്കരച്ചിലിലേക്ക് എത്തുമെന്ന് പ്രേക്ഷകന്‍ ഉറച്ചു വിശ്വസിച്ചാലും അവിടെ ഒരു വമ്പന്‍ പൊട്ടിച്ചിരിയായിരിക്കും കാത്തിരിക്കുക. 

ജോയ്‌മോന്റെ കഥയ്ക്ക് സമാന്തരമായി മറ്റൊരുകഥ സഞ്ചരിക്കുമ്പോഴും തികഞ്ഞ അച്ചടക്കമുള്ള തിരക്കഥയും സംവിധാനവും രസച്ചരട് പൊട്ടാതെ പ്രത്യേകം ശ്രദ്ധിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. ലവലേശം മുഷിപ്പില്ലാത്ത  തിരക്കഥയില്‍ സംവിധായകന്‍ ചിദംബരം ഗംഭീരമായി പണിയെടുത്തതോടെ ജാനേമന്‍ പ്രേക്ഷകരുടെ സിനിമയായി. സിനിമയെ ആസ്വാദനത്തില്‍ മുന്നിട്ടു നിര്‍ത്തുന്നത് സംവിധായകന്‍ ചിദംബരം പിന്‍തുടര്‍ന്ന വഴികള്‍ തന്നെയാണ്. തമാശകള്‍ക്കു സമാന്തരമായി ചില കണ്ണീര്‍കഥകള്‍ പറയുമ്പോഴും രണ്ടും കൃത്യമായി നിയന്ത്രിച്ചു കൊണ്ടു പോകാന്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തിനു കഴിഞ്ഞു. ഹൃദ്യമായി പകര്‍ത്തിയ ക്യാമറാമാന്‍ വിഷ്ണു തണ്ടാശേരിയും മുഷിപ്പിക്കാത്ത വെട്ടലുകള്‍ നടത്തിയ എഡിറ്റര്‍ കിരണ്‍ദാസും കയ്യടിക്ക് അര്‍ഹര്‍ തന്നെയാണ്. കഥാഗതിക്ക് അനുസൃതമായി ചേര്‍ന്നു നില്‍ക്കുന്ന പശ്ചാത്തല സംഗീതമൊരുക്കിയ ബിജിബാലിനേയും എടുത്തു പറയാതെ വയ്യ. 

പ്രധാന കഥാപാത്രമായി എത്തിയ ലാല്‍, ബേസില്‍ ജോസഫ്, ബാലു വര്‍ഗീസ് എന്നിവരുടെ പ്രകടനമാണ് ചിത്രത്തിന്റെ നെടുതൂൺ. മഞ്ഞില്‍ വിരിഞ്ഞ പൂക്കളിലെ മിഴിയോരം എന്ന ഗാനം പുതിയ സാങ്കേതിക തികവോടെ തിയറ്ററില്‍ ആസ്വദിക്കുവാന്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞതും പുതിയ അനുഭവം സമ്മാനിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്. ക്ലൈമാക്‌സിലെ അവസാന ട്വിസ്റ്റില്‍ പ്രേക്ഷകര്‍ക്കു തീരുമാനിക്കാം, ജാനേമന്‍ കോമഡി പടമാണോ, ഫാമിലി എന്റര്‍ടെയ്‌നറാണോ അതോ അതിനും അപ്പുറമാണോ എന്നൊക്കെ. 

ചിരിയും ചിന്തകളുമൊക്കെ കലര്‍ന്ന ജാനേമന്‍ കാണാതെ പോയാല്‍ നഷ്ടം പ്രേക്ഷകനു തന്നെയാണ്. തിയറ്ററുകളുടെ ഈ പ്രതിസന്ധികാലത്ത് ഇത്തരം സിനിമകള്‍ കടന്നെത്തുന്നത് സിനിമാവ്യവസായത്തിനും ആശ്വാസകരമാകുമെന്നതില്‍ തര്‍ക്കമില്ല.

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Jan-E-Man movie review: An immaculate blend of laughter, tears, sense and sensitivity

The outcome of Chidambaram’s confident direction and a sharp script is an intelligent and entertaining film.

Language: Malayalam   

Unpredictability and the challenge of finding the right balance lie at the heart of the funeral film, a genre that rests on the possibility of a sorrowful situation lending itself to comedy. Lijo Jose Pellissery achieved a smooth blend in Ee.Ma.Yau (2018) that revolved around a poor man who promises his father a striking send-off minutes before the old man passes away. Three years later, debutant director Chidambaram places a death in a house across the road from another where birthday revelries are in progress. The emotions seesawing between the two homes form the crux of his film Jan-E-Man (Sweetheart).

Basil Joseph in Jan-E-Man plays Joymon, a young nurse who decides to escape his loneliness in a snow-laden Canadian winter to celebrate his birthday with school friends back in Kerala. Battling depression and doing his best to mask it from his buddies, he plans a big bash at the residence of Sambath (Arjun Ashokan) with their classmate Dr Faizal (Ganapathi) in tow.

Joymon’s ‘friends’, it turns out, don’t care that much for him, but he is soldiering purposefully towards a merry mood anyway when a neighbour dies. As that family grieves, Joymon refuses to drop his plans. His unpredictable behaviour, the shockers he throws at Sambath including his choice of guests for the party, the history of tension between the two nearby households and their current contrasting circumstances are a combustible mix. Chidambaram – who has also written Jan-E-Man , along with Ganapathi (the actor playing Faizal) and Sapnesh Varachal – lets the sparks fly, allows a fire to rage, extinguishes it, re-lights it, then puts it out once again with the assuredness of an experienced hand.

The outcome of his confident direction and the sharp script is an intelligent and entertaining film.   

The writer-director and his team lay out a buffet of people and sentiments before the viewer, serving each one with attention and care. Well okay, not each one – sadly, this film too, like much of contemporary Malayalam cinema, remains a saga of men told by men with some  promising women present but not given as much importance, depth or space as the men, and at least one woman existing in the plotline merely and solely as a male character’s romantic interest. It is exhausting to have to make the same point persistently, but Mollywood really needs to introspect about and fix this recurring issue.   

So why the Hindi-Urdu title? Too often, Malayalam cinema forces incongruous Hindi lines into its dialogues and songs, treating the language as a mark of coolth, in the way Hindi cinema has been known to use English. In how many Hindi films did Amitabh Bachchan, for one, suddenly switch from Hindi to speaking paragraphs of English in an overt effort to impress an India still nursing a post-colonial hangover? While the word jan-e-man has relevance to this storyline, the shift in language adds nothing in particular to the film and feels superfluous.   

Jan-E-Man tunes into another significant trend from the Malayalam film industry, this a worthy one. It does not treat mental health casually but chooses instead to address Joymon’s state of mind with empathy at unexpected moments on this rollercoaster ride.   

That’s the thing about Jan-E-Man : you just do not know what to expect from it as it turns the next corner, but twists are not contrived simply for effect. A parade of giggles comes right before an affecting and iconic funeral hymn, laughter and tears are rolled out in quick succession, but the comical episodes, the sense of humour even in the soundtrack and the insensitivity of some of the characters are not for a second allowed to overshadow the filmmaker’s sensitivity towards them. The last time I recall being similarly on edge, for fear that a director might fall off a tightrope any time, and feeling extreme relief because he did not, was in 2017 while watching Althaf Salim’s Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela (An Interval in the Land of Crabs), a bitter-sweet account of a family coping with a mother’s illness.   

In Jan-E-Man , the dead man’s brother, Kochukunju (played by Lal), and Basil Joseph’s Joymon are the only characters who seem poised to go overboard at a place or two, but just as they teeter on the edge of raising their pitch above the overall pitch of the film, they pull back. This is what fine actors are capable of when given a solid script and direction.   

The large ensemble cast makes its mark collectively and individually, including Riya Saira and Gilu Joseph as the dead man’s daughters despite the limited writing of their characters. Among the primary actors, I confess to a soft spot for Ganapathi who meshes sweetness, flashes of lack of consideration and a considerate heart into his Dr Faizal; and for Lal whose ability to switch chameleon-like from a grave demeanour to light-heartedness and even frivolity has not ceased to surprise even after all these years of seeing him on screen.   

The beauty of Jan-E-Man lies in the fact that the scenarios, the people and the prejudices in the script are all familiar. It is what the writers do with this familiarity that makes the story so real, so funny and ultimately, so thought-provoking. The laughs lend an even greater poignance to the heartbreaking reminder unobtrusively woven into the plotline that a road running between two houses could – literally and metaphorically – either connect or divide them, and behind a chirpy façade or a passion for film songs could be a heart filled with pain, a lifetime of heartache and so much else that the exterior does not reveal.   

Ladies and gentlemen, sahodaris and sahodarans , Chidambaram has arrived on the Malayalam film scene…and how!

Jan-E-Man is playing in cinemas across India.

Rating: ***1/2

Anna M.M. Vetticad is an award-winning journalist and author of The Adventures of an Intrepid Film Critic. She specialises in the intersection of cinema with feminist and other socio-political concerns. Twitter: @annavetticad, Instagram: @annammvetticad, Facebook: AnnaMMVetticadOfficial

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Jan-e-Man Movie Review: A much welcome bundle of laughs, emotions, and other surprises

Rating: ( 4 / 5).

Have you ever come across a person who is an extrovert, hyperactive, and so occupied with themselves that even when they display affection towards others, you get the sense that they are actually doing this to get something in return — that it's not sincere or selfless? Joymon, Basil Joseph's character in Jan-e-Man , is one such individual. When we first see him, he is a nurse in Canada, grappling with the ice-cold environs and loneliness. The film opens with him looking like Joaquin Phoenix from Her , but   with a Malayali accent, talking to Alexa. His friendless existence evokes a dystopian setting.

The posters and promos of Jan-e-Man might give one the impression that it's just another familiar story of a group of friends having a drink and exchanging ' theppu kadhakal '. But having caught the preview screening, I can attest that the film is a whole different beast. Yes, these young men do get drunk, but you see, the film is not just about them.

Director: Chidambaram

Cast: Basil Joseph, Lal, Arjun Ashokan, Ganapathi, Balu Varghese

If Jan-e-Man were a Hollywood film, it would probably be titled 'A Birthday and a Funeral ' because that's what the film is in a nutshell. It begins with a deceptively simple premise. Joymon is desperate to return to Kerala for his 30th birthday after a fair amount of drama. He is a dramatic person, and things get even more dramatic once he lands. On the day he arrives at car dealer/frenemy Sampath's (Arjun Ashokan) home to celebrate the event, much to the latter's chagrin, someone next door crosses the rainbow bridge. It's a bold idea from debutant Chidambaram (his directorial debut) and his brother (actor Ganapathi), who plays the skin specialist friend of Sampath and Joymon. 

Jan-e-Man then becomes a story of two homes and the people in them. The focus is divided equally between everyone. But it's Joymon who becomes the cause of most of the chaos. He often tends to get insensitive, sometimes forgetting that there is a funeral next door. He has the combined troublemaking energy of Jagadish from Godfather  and some of the annoying characters that Sreenivasan did in the early Priyadarshan comedies. 

And making matters worse is the arrival of his friends — one of whom happens to be an intimidating thug with an unbearably loyal right-hand man. The latter's presence gives birth to some of the film's funniest moments. We also get an amusing 'event manager' trying to take advantage of this double bonanza opportunity. One of the film's outstanding moments is his 'Superman' moment when things get too 'dark' (you'll know what I mean when you see it). Jan-e-Man also takes a moment to find humour when a character who happens to be an actor from a most-followed television serial rings Sampath's doorbell.

Now pit all these 'VIP' friends of Joymon against the people at the funeral (Lal and Balu Varghese giving their best) and what you get is a whirlpool of emotions that run the gamut from comedy to serious and back to square one. To give you an idea of how bold the film is, there is a point where it keeps cross-cutting between a moment of mourning and a romantic scene, and just when you think it's going to get super awkward, the film does something that makes you go, "Wow!" 

Once again, the person responsible for this is Joymon. As I said earlier, he will do anything to ensure that all eyes are on him. But the film does something surprising with regard to Joymon when he reveals the troubled soul underneath the layer of insensitivity. When he shares the deep-rooted issue that causes him to behave this way — in a brilliantly staged sombre moment with another lonely character — you feel moved. I like how the film, while showing sympathy for Joymon, also calls attention to the thought that you can't use your problems as an excuse for being insensitive with others because you never know what others might be going through.

Despite having so many characters and incidents in the film, Jan-e-Man never feels overcrowded or overdone. At no point did I feel that any character was unnecessary, thanks to a wonderfully talented cast that doesn't go beyond what's expected of them. The film finds a neat balance between its laughs and intense emotions. It plays with the viewers' feelings like a conductor — high in one moment, low in another, repeat — until it skillfully springs multiple surprises in the finale that I did not see coming. After the giant stormcloud passes, the significance of the film's title slowly comes into view, and you realise it has nothing to do with any of the characters you just saw but someone who remained hidden in the background until now, but pivotal regardless. 

Suffice to say, Jan-e-Man is one of the biggest surprises of the year. I left the theatre with an indescribable high, with every character fresh in my mind. If that's not the sign of a terrific film, I don't know what is.

Jan.E.Man (2021)

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Directed by Chidambaram

The hilarious comic twists that awaits when Joymon, desperate to escape his lonely, mundane and routine life in remote freezing Canada, decides to travel to his hometown in Kerala only to celebrate his 30th birthday, forms the base of the story.

Basil Joseph Balu Varghese Arjun Ashokan Lal Ganapathi S Poduval Abhiram Radhakrishnan Gilu Joseph Riya Saira Sidharth Menon Chembil Ashokan Prapti Elizabeth Sajin Gopu Asif Ali Hareesh Pengan Ganga Meera Sruthy Sathyan

Director Director

Chidambaram

Producers Producers

Lakshmi Warrier Ganesh Menon Sajith Kumar K Shawn Antony

Writers Writers

Ganapathi S Poduval Chidambaram Sapnesh Varachal

Editor Editor

Cinematography cinematography.

Vishnu Thandassery

Production Design Production Design

Vinesh Banglan

Stunts Stunts

Phoenix Prabhu

Composer Composer

Songs songs, costume design costume design.

Mashar Hamsa

Makeup Makeup

R G Wayanadan

Cheers Entertainments

Alternative Title

Comedy Drama

Releases by Date

19 nov 2021, releases by country.

• Theatrical U

147 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by brutalkangaroo ★★★★

It's unironically moodesh poweresh vibe max. It is so much fun and it's very hard to not be entertained by this.

Don't judge the movie by the title and posters because yes they are kinda lame and boring, but the movie is anything but that. I did judge and went in because I had nothing better to do, and was happily proven wrong.

അപ്പൊ സെറ്റ് 🤝🏾

(I still think the movie deserve a better title tho)

Review by Michael James ★★★½

A cleverly written and executed dark humor drama, one that gets handled quite sensibly despite of treading along the sensitive line all along. It has an interesting premise and the story unfolds smoothly leading to a series of complicated yet hilarious situations, exploring the conflict of human emotions without losing on its dramatic tension. The ensemble cast is outstanding and deliver the goods admirably. The cinematography and visuals perfectly reflect its mood. It does lose its steam in the middle and feels redundant at times, but the novelty and its deeper insights into human relationships, with the exceptional blend of quirky humor and heartwarming moments, overshadow the few duds and make it one engaging and entertaining watch.

Review by ash ★★★★ 13

I am today years old since I found out Ganapathy co-wrote this with his brother chidambaram. I never saw this coming .

They took two contrasting emotions birth and death as their main theme and made a masterpiece out of it. I'm fairly convinced that the movie has scratched through every emotions known to mankind and presented it with humor .

All the performances were amazing and the way they blended humor and sorrow together was just amazing , I like the whole aesthetics and aspect ratio as it fills my screen (ya I have a kink for such things) . This movie gave rise to basil Joseph the actor.

P.S : I didn't like this movie at all when I first watched it . Idk why tho , weird af.

Review by prtk j ★★★★

"രതീഷേ, catch"

അവസാനമായി theatre ഒന്നായി ഒരു പടത്തിനു ഇത്രേം കൈയടിച്ചതും ചിരിച്ചതും എനിക്ക് ഓർമയില്ല.. കഴിഞ്ഞ രണ്ട് വർഷത്തിൽ സൂരറൈ പോട്ടറ് , മാലിക് തുടങ്ങിയ വലിയ പടങ്ങൾ OTT release ചെയ്തപ്പോൾ theatre experience പോയല്ലോ (troll movies enthusiast) എന്ന് ആലോചിക്കുമ്പോൾ ഇത് പോലത്തെ ചെറിയ പടങ്ങൾക്ക്‌ theatre കൊടുക്കുന്ന boost തന്നെ മറന്ന് പോയി. Happy to see theatres back in form :).

Balu varghese inte performance innu കുതിരപവൻ.

Review by _darkknight_ ★★★★★ 15

“Sajiettaa njn parayanuu, ibide safe ala!!!”

Average cinephile teenager:

Mathan is literally me fr fr. 

Self-aware 22 year old cinema enjoyer: 

The issues and emotions that Joymon as well as Monichan go through represent the conflict that, I as person have to deal with on a daily basis.

Jokes apart, this was really good at building characters and jokes around those situations. Especially that Monologue of Joymon and the parallels drawn between him and Monichan made this movie more than just a regular comedy movie.

Also Palakkadan representation. 😎

Review by cinema_made ★★★½ 4

Unpredictability and the challenge of finding the right balance lie at the heart of the funeral film, a genre that rests on the possibility of a sorrowful situation lending itself to comedy. A death in a house across the road from another where birthday revelries are in progress. The emotions seesawing between the two homes form the crux of his film Jan-E-Man

The plot of the movie has two extremes that have a stark contrast. But the way it culminates made me admire the writing of this film. Chidambaram takes this plot that feels like a mixture of all genres and ultimately creates a heartwarming story. With some outrageously hilarious twists in the tale, Jan-e-Man has got its heart in…

Review by Pranav ★★★★ 10

The event management head Akshay sings a song towards the middle potion of the movie. It's essentially about the circle of life and how in the movie the two houses opposite to each other witness the anniversary of birth and a death on the same day. It's philosophical, and that's not something that you usually see everyday in plastic entertainers which get branded as "feel good movies" in malayalam cinema . The proceedings at both houses sometimes parallel each other in opposite ways, and the narrative presents us with two main characters through which the director imprints a thematic depth to a movie , a decision which could have gone so awry yet is done deftly. Joymon's and Monichan's characters…

Review by NimmUwU ★★★★ 9

Damn padatinte tudakam kandapol eniku bo burnhaminte turning 30 orma vannu...

orupadu funny momentz, orupadu man.....😔 momentz, atu karanam i had a good time. Characters okke nice and felt genuine (edak edak break akane pole tonum but issoke). jomon ser literally me characters listilekulla aduta member ayi. and vere muwthu characters ind like the event managment guy, cake delivery guy,and ofc nammade palkkadan gunda and many more.

Climax eniku atraku angu pidichilla

Review by Harlots ★★★½

"തള്ള അരിസ്ട്ടം കുടിച്ച് ഓഫ് ആയതാകും" 😝😝😝

Review by TYLER CLARA DURDEN ★★★★★ 4

എങ്ങനാടാ ഇത് എഴുതിയിണ്ടാക്കിയെ!! ഇപ്പഴും പടത്തിന്റെ ഹാങ്ങോവറിലാണ്. കള്ള് അടിച്ച് ഓഫായി സ്വസ്ഥമായി കിടന്നുറങ്ങാലൊ ന്ന് പറയണ പോലെ ഭാഗ്യാണ് ഇങ്ങനെ ഇടക്ക് സെക്കന്റ് ഷോ കണ്ട് വന്ന് കിടന്നുറങ്ങാൻ പറ്റണത്. ഒരു ഒന്നര വർഷായീണ്ടാവും സെക്കന്റ് ഷോക്ക് പോയിട്ട്. എന്തോരം വർഷം അതിന്റെ മുന്നീക്കോടെ പോയേക്കണു എന്നിട്ട് ഇന്നാണ് ആദ്യായിട്ട് കാലടി ജവഹറിൽ പോയി കണ്ടത്. നല്ല കുഞ്ഞി തീയേറ്ററ്. ഞങ്ങളടക്കം ആകെ 13പേർ. സമാധാനം. കയ്യടി. സന്തോഷം. സിനിമ ഭൂരിഭാഗവും റിലേറ്റബളാർന്ന്. ഭാവിയിൽ നടന്നേക്കാവുന്ന സംഭവങ്ങൾ. ഇതിലേറ്റവും ഇഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട ഒരു സീനുണ്ട് അമലിനെ മിനിഞ്ഞാന്ന് വിളിച്ചപ്പൊ പറഞ്ഞ കാര്യം. ഇതിന്റെ സന്തോഷത്തില് ബേസിൽ ജോസഫിന് എന്നേലും എന്തേലും കൊടുക്കണം. എല്ലാത്തിന്റേം എടേല് ഇതൊക്കെയാണ് ആഗ്രഹങ്ങള്.

മനസമാധാനം. സന്തോഷം. Amaljith - Sreekumar | Jawahar Kalady - 70₹ ticket.

Thank you team Jan.E.Man : )

PS : Superman ratheesh scene 🔥🔥 romanchammm 🦸🏾‍♂️

Review by Shruthin Vasanth ★★★½

Joymon talking to Monichan was my joker moment.

Review by Mystic River ★★★

Janeman handles uncomfortable truths about the futility of births & deaths while reminding us how fickle spanned is life with a tinge of dark humour. Characters lack depth, but the philosophy the film talks is deep enough. The film fiddles by the time it reaches climax, gets overly dramatic as well but I still liked it.

I can go on and on about the issues with Janeman but I'd rather say the film took 'make a comedy out of a tragedy' seriously and honestly that's one of the most rewarding coping mechanisms there ever is. Also, Basil Joseph & Ganapathy are absolute dorks. To cut it short, Janeman is more like an Ee Ma Yau from Siddique-lal school of film-making (not that good obviously).

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Veeyen Unplugged

Cinema, Culture & More

Janeman (2021) Malayalam Movie Review – Veeyen

This is a remarkable directorial debut from Chidambaram that absolutely justifies its running time.  Nurturing all kinds of delicate emotions and topping them all with some whimsical humour, ‘Janeman’ is an insightfully directed modern fable that totally wins us over with its astute writing, quaint setting, delightful narration and above all, real grounded performances.

Brace yourself for an explosive comedy, as Chidambaram’s ‘Janeman’ , a tiny jewel of a film hits the theatres this week.  Filled with laugh-out-loud funny moments , this is a breezy film that fully utilizes its absurd, yet unique premise, and thereby unpacking a whole lot of young, promising talent, both in the acting and writing sectors.

The snow that fills up the initial frames in ‘Janeman’ is a far cry from the white, fluffy flakes that typically float down the winter skies, and which leave the typical South Indian all keyed up. Left  alone with Alexa in a phenomenally cold Canadian lowland where he works as a nurse, Joymon (Basil Joseph) is miserable, dejected and depressed to the core. Trudging along in knee-deep snow along the countryside, Joymon tries hard to connect with anyone available on phone across the continents in India, but has to make do with the annoyed voice of his mom, who is in no mood to make social conversation at midnight and the excuses meted out by his busy friend who curtails the conversation even before it had actually begun.

Grabbing the next opportunity to head back home, Joymon sets out back to Kerala, on the pretext of celebrating his thirtieth birthday. Faisal (Ganapathy), his high school mate is entrusted with the task of setting up a bash, who in turn convinces his friend and (also) former schoolmate Sampath (Arjun Ashokan) to host the party at his place, in return for the real expensive scotch whiskey that they believe Joymon would be bringing in.

The trio head over to Sampath’s place on Joymon’s arrival, and the preparations begin, invariably  inviting the interest of immediate neighbours. Quite coincidentally, in the house right across the road, Itti Avara (Kunjukutty) suffers a heart attack, and falls down dead while watering his flower bed, leaving his heavily pregnant daughter Jesna (Ria Saira) screaming for help.

Jointly penned by Chidambaram, Ganapathy and Sapnesh Varachal ‘Janeman’ is one joy ride, that takes you along terrains that you least anticipate to pass by.  The scrumptiously light tone that it maintains throughout is garnished with solid laughs, and it makes for a highly entertaining time that simultaneously strikes quite few prudent notes along the way.

‘Janeman’ is a character driven film, and the screenplay that builds on each face that forms a part of the narrative is full of clever touches through exposures that bring in plenty of excitement. As the party on the terrace gets under way, with booze, music and lights to boost, the corpse lies in the house a few feet away, amidst a gradually growing crowd, impatiently waiting for the casket and Itti Varia’s wayward son Monichan (Balu Varghese) to arrive.

There are spectacular scenes aplenty that will leave you confounded by their absurdity, like the one where Sampath, eager to kiss his long lost school sweetheart Ammu (Prapthi Elizabeth) is interrupted by the fireworks that suddenly appear out of nowhere. A few meters away, Monichan who is overwhelmed with grief and guilt for his long absence from home, finally decides to kiss his dad goodbye and breaks into tears, when he’s startled by the crackers that light up the same night sky.

And there is Akshay Kumar (Abhiram Radhakarishnan), who runs the Maxima Events company that is housed inside a pickup van, who seems to have workable solutions in mind for any scenario that is humanly imaginable. The man is well-mannered, courteous, and available to anyone in need, and within minutes of arriving at Sampath’s place to set up a DJ Party on Joymon’s insistence, Akshay Kumar appears before Kochukunju (Lal), Itti Avara’s younger brother and offers his hand in the proceedings that are to immediately follow a demise, which is readily accepted.  Later, in an unbelievably hilarious moment when the power supply is cut off, we see Akshay Kumar in action again, this time letting his robe fly behind him as he pulls the generator on, and descending down on the scene like Superman who brings light back to the world that had a for a few moments shown signs of plunging into perennial darkness.

What makes ‘Janeman’ doubly special is that it indulges in no philosophical jargon to get its deeply profound messages across. Rather, it celebrates the subtlety that is evident in its character design, and works out a plot that is emotionally and aesthetically pleasing to us. The final spotlight that is shone on the title, is quite like the many revelations that precede it, and is a fine culmination to the consistent amusement that had led to it.

It would be so difficult to pick out one performance from among the many rockstar actors that this film has, but if I were asked to pick one, I would go for Basil Joseph, for his fantastic portrayal of Joymon that is sure to have you in splits. And then he stuns you with an amazingly tender scene in which he explains his lonesomeness to Monichan, and the soul that is so lost and frenetically struggling  around to grab the first arm that is held out, surfaces above all the twaddle that he had been blabbering away till then.

It is so refreshing to see actors like Ganapathy, Arjun Asokhan, Balu Varghese, Abhiram Radhakarishnan, Sidharth Menon, Prasanth Murali, Sajin Gopu, Sarath Sabha, Ria Saira and Ganga Meera get their due. Veterans as Lal and Chembil Ashokan pitch in their bits as well. Cinematography by Vishnu Thandassery is first-rate, and Bijibal’s background score apposite.

Verdict: Good

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• What is the release date of 'Jan.E.Man'? Release date of Lal and Arjun Ashokan starrer 'Jan.E.Man' is 2021-11-19.
• Who are the actors in 'Jan.E.Man'? 'Jan.E.Man' star cast includes Lal, Arjun Ashokan, Balu Varghese and Basil Joseph.
• Who is the director of 'Jan.E.Man'? 'Jan.E.Man' is directed by Chidambharam.
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• ENGLISH HINDI MALAYALAM TAMIL TELUGU KANNADA BENGALI  

Jan E Man Malayalam Movie

Jan E Man is a 2021 Indian movie directed by Chidambaram starring Basil Joseph, Arjun Asokan, Balu Varghese and Lal. The feature film is produced by Lakshmi Warrier, Ganesh Menon, Shawn Antony and Sajith Kumar K and the music composed by Bijibal.

A young man plans his own birthday party to cure his sadness and loneliness, but an unexpected death threatens the festivities.

Director: Chidambaram Producers: Lakshmi Warrier, Ganesh Menon, Shawn Antony, Sajith Kumar K Production Company: Cheers Entertainmnts Music Director: Bijibal Sound Designers: Vicky, Kishan Cinematographer: Vishnu Thandassery Editor: Kiran Das Art Designer: Vinesh Banglan Original Story Writer: Chidambaram Action Choregrapher: Phoenix Prabhu

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• 8.1 OTTplay Rating
• 2 Hr 27 Min

This comedy-drama film is the debut film of writer-director Chidambaram S Poduval. The film is co-written by his brother, Ganapathi S Poduval. The cinematography is done by Vishnu Thandassery and music is given by Bijibal. The plot pivots around a young man, played by Basil Joseph, who plans his own birthday party to cure his sadness and loneliness. However, an unexpected death threatens the festivities. The production of the entire film was started amidst the coronavirus pandemic and was completed in just 35 days! It was shot in Kochi and Kashmir. Along with Joseph, the film also stars Arjun Ashokan, Ganapathi S Poduval, Lal, and Balu Varghese. Basil Joseph was last seen in the Tamil hit film Minnal Murali , which received wide acclaim from critics and audiences alike.

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Original Title: ജാൻ-എ-മൻ

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The hilarious comic twists that awaits when Joymon, desperate to escape his lonely, mundane and routine life in remote freezing Canada, decides to travel to his hometown in Kerala only to celebrate his 30th birthday, forms the base of the story.

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