Jilla’s problem was not only that Mohanlal had an awful role but you also felt like he sleepwalked through it. In Janatha Garage, the actor has a substantial role and you could also see he is determined to make amends for the 2014 disaster. That he did not dub for the Telugu version would be a disappointment initially. But it is to the actor’s credit that he still keeps us glued to the screen when he is around. His ability to convey a lot through eyes without any lines is a huge asset to several scenes. In another scene how he calmly threatens a guy to return money to the poor with a smile is just Vintage Mohanlal.
I saw reviews where they asked how Mohanlal became a rich and powerful guy within short time or why NTR rides a bullet when preaching all to protect environment. To ask Telugu industry to make mass movies with logic is like asking Marvel or DC to make movies with no superpowers for their superheroes ! And we know both are not going to happen. IfJanatha Garage has any problem , it is not the lack of logic. But it is the lack of thrills or punch in the last 40 minutes after a very good first one and half hours including a great interval sequence where Mohanlal and NTR meet for the first time. Otherwise it is a decent one time watch.
P.S – The real surprise I felt in Janatha Garage is Unni Mukundan. The actor who also makes his Telugu debut is for a change “not bad” – which is a massive improvement compared to the Malayalam movies he has done here
