Janmabhoomi: A relic with a lot of heart

Is this for you?

If you are looking for a gritty, fast-paced thriller, stay away. This is a slow, stagey, and incredibly earnest piece of history that wears its nationalism on its sleeve.

However, if you have any interest in how Indian cinema found its voice in the early days, you might actually get a kick out of this. It’s not about the plot—which is basically a fairy tale where the bad guy just decides to stop being bad—it’s about the vibe.

The Setup

Dr. Ajay Ghosh shows up to save the day. He is the ultimate do-gooder. He has a girlfriend, Protima, who is just as dedicated to the cause. Naturally, there is a zamindar (landlord) who acts like he owns the oxygen in the village. His henchman, Sanatan, is the kind of mustache-twirling villainy you don't really see anymore.

The whole thing feels a bit like a play filmed in 1936. You can tell the actors are used to projecting to the back of a theater row.

The Good Stuff

There is this song, 'Jai jai janani janmabhoomi,' that basically carries the film. You can feel the room change when the music starts. It’s not subtle. It’s not trying to be. It’s just very, very honest.

Ashok Kumar is in this, which is a trip. Seeing him so early in his career compared to his later, more polished roles is like finding a rough sketch of a masterpiece. He has this look in his eyes—a sort of quiet, focused intensity that makes you forget the budget was clearly held together by duct tape and prayers.

The Odd Bits

• The villainy is so cartoonish it actually becomes funny. Sanatan would definitely be petting a cat if he had one.
• The transition from class warfare to 'everybody hold hands and sing' happens so fast it gave me whiplash.
• There are moments where the camera just stays still, and you’re just watching people exist in a frame for what feels like five minutes too long.

Honestly, it makes me think of Stage Struck, where the theatricality is just baked into the DNA of the performance. It’s not 'natural,' but it’s not supposed to be.

Is it a perfect movie? God, no. It’s clunky and it moves at the speed of a tired ox. But there is something strangely refreshing about a movie that doesn't feel the need to explain itself with a bunch of jump cuts. It just tells you: "Here is a hero, here is a villain, and here is a country we love."

Sometimes, that is enough. Even if the resolution is a bit of a stretch. 🇮🇳