Janki Bodiwala may have come across as a new face to many as she made her Bollywood debut last month in Ajay Devgn-R Madahavn-Jyothika starrer Shaitaan&nbsp;but the actress is a well-known face in Gujarati cinema.&nbsp; 
 
A dentistry student, Janki made an impressive debut in Gujrati coming-of-age film Chhello Divas in 2015 and subsequently delivered hits like Tamburo and Bau Na Vichar. Her Bollywood debut Shaitaan helmed by Vikas Bahl is a remake of a Gujarati film called Vash. Directed by Krsihnadev Yagnik the original film too featured Janki and she said she was initially surprised when she was asked to reprise her role in the Hindi remake.&nbsp; 
 
"I was surprised when they told me they wanted to cast me for the same role. I was also nervous because now I would have to share screen space with Ajay Sir, Madhavan Sir and Jyothika Ma'am- all great actors and prove myself in front of them," said Janki. 
&nbsp; 
The young actress spoke about the film and dissected some of the scenes in a chat with WION recently. Considering she was reprising her role in the Hindi remake, Janki said she was far more mentally prepared as an actor than when she shot for Vash (released in 2023).&nbsp; 
 
"When I first shot for the Gujarati film, I had to exert a lot more because the scenes were challenging. While making Hindi I was more mentally prepared."&nbsp; 
 
For those who haven't watched Shaitaan yet, Janki plays Janvi who is ensnared by black magic by a sinister Vanraj (R Madhavan) who controls her every move as her parents and younger brother watch in horror.&nbsp; 
 
The psychological thriller opened to mixed reviews from critics with most praising Janki for her able performance. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-shaitaan-review-r-madhavans-sinister-act-isnt-enough-to-save-this-weak-story-697943">Read WION's review of the film here</a> 
 
On working with stalwarts like Ajay Devgn and Joythika 
 
The young actress she was slightly intimidated by the presence of actors like Jyothika, Ajay Devgn and R Madhavan and learnt a lot by observing them.&nbsp; 
 
"I observed Ajay Devgn a lot on sets. He is punctual and prepared and ready with his scenes always. If you are an actor- no matter how big a name you are you must be prepared for a scene before you come to the sets. &nbsp;He and Jyothika Ma'am were very sporting also. I had to push them, and hurt them due to the demand of the script and I was quite nervous about it- but Ajay sir made me very comfortable, and asked me to be more aggressive so that it looks&nbsp;authentic. And the same with Jyothika. She looks so delicate but she did action scene herself - did not use body double. I loved their dedication to the craft. " 
 
On the difference in Vash and Shaitaan script 
 
"The baseline is the same for both Gujarati and Hindi films. Both films talk of the ills of black magic. But of course, the graph and the vision of the two directors are different. Vikas sir's vision for my character was crooked. The way she smiles, the way she locks her parents in the storeroom - that was added in the Hindi film- not part of the original.&nbsp;The scene where I am sitting on top of the gas cylinder was an addition to the Hindi film. That chunk is not there in the Gujarati film," pointed out the actress.&nbsp; 
 
Eating biscuits and getting a sugar rush for a scene 
 
A scene in Shaitaan involved Madhavan's character commanding Janaki to eat up an entire packet of raw tea leaves. Janaki revealed that the packet had Oreo biscuit crumbs in it.&nbsp; 
 
"In Vash, the tea packet was filled with Oreo in the top layer but had tea leaves in the bottom. Because of multiple takes, I did eat a lot of the tea leaves. In Shaitaan, however, the box was filled with biscuit crumbs and by the end of it- I had a major sugar rush.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/upDhKSx7P7E?si=30C8Om0KPyDcZ9o_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> 
 
The writing was foolproof for both films 
 
Janaki called Krishnadev Yagnik's story gripping even on paper. "We didn't have to do anything extra at all. Kudos to the screenplay writer Aameel Kiyan Khan for writing something so gripping that even when I read the script I was feeling the same rush that the viewers had while watching the film," the actress said.&nbsp; 
 
She did find the physical action in the film difficult. "One has to be cautious that no one gets hurt while you are performing. But I was lucky- both while filming Gujarati and Hindi film- that my co-actors were supportive, they told me that that it is part of your job, even if we get hurt - don't worry, just do your job. If you have to show aggression on screen, do it- so that it looks authentic," she added.&nbsp; 
 
Janki's favourite scene from Shaitaan 
 
"The scene where my character urinates in front of her father was beautifully written. It demanded a lot from me as an actor and that scene was special. As an actor I had to show emotions to my father and through my eyes tell him to not come near me or else I would be compelled to hit him. Also, the subsequent sequence where Jyothika ma'am comes and changes my shorts was very aesthetically shot. It was such a delicate scene but so well written. As a performer I enjoyed doing that scene," recalled Janki.

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&nbsp; 
The actress has been earning praise from all across for her performance but she feels her father's compliment after watching both the films is the most special for her. So far Janki has not signed any Hindi film but will be seen in a Gujrati film which is up for release in June.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Janki Bodiwala may have come across as a new face to many as she made her Bollywood debut last month in Ajay Devgn-R Madahavn-Jyothika starrer Shaitaan but the actress is a well-known face in Gujarati cinema.

Janki Bodiwala may have come across as a new face to many as she made her Bollywood debut last month in Ajay Devgn-R Madahavn-Jyothika starrer Shaitaan but the actress is a well-known face in Gujarati cinema. A dentistry student, Janki made an impressive debut in Gujrati coming-of-age film Chhello Divas in 2015 and subsequently delivered hits like Tamburo and Bau Na Vichar. Her Bollywood debut Shaitaan helmed by Vikas Bahl is a remake of a Gujarati film called Vash. Directed by Krsihnadev Yagnik the original film too featured Janki and she said she was initially surprised when she was asked to reprise her role in the Hindi remake. "I was surprised when they told me they wanted to cast me for the same role. I was also nervous because now I would have to share screen space with Ajay Sir, Madhavan Sir and Jyothika Ma'am- all great actors and prove myself in front of them," said Janki. The young actress spoke about the film and dissected some of the scenes in a chat with WION recently. Considering she was reprising her role in the Hindi remake, Janki said she was far more mentally prepared as an actor than when she shot for Vash (released in 2023). "When I first shot for the Gujarati film, I had to exert a lot more because the scenes were challenging. While making Hindi I was more mentally prepared." For those who haven't watched Shaitaan yet, Janki plays Janvi who is ensnared by black magic by a sinister Vanraj (R Madhavan) who controls her every move as her parents and younger brother watch in horror. The psychological thriller opened to mixed reviews from critics with most praising Janki for her able performance. Read WION's review of the film here On working with stalwarts like Ajay Devgn and Joythika The young actress she was slightly intimidated by the presence of actors like Jyothika, Ajay Devgn and R Madhavan and learnt a lot by observing them. "I observed Ajay Devgn a lot on sets. He is punctual and prepared and ready with his scenes always. If you are an actor- no matter how big a name you are you must be prepared for a scene before you come to the sets. He and Jyothika Ma'am were very sporting also. I had to push them, and hurt them due to the demand of the script and I was quite nervous about it- but Ajay sir made me very comfortable, and asked me to be more aggressive so that it looks authentic. And the same with Jyothika. She looks so delicate but she did action scene herself - did not use body double. I loved their dedication to the craft. " On the difference in Vash and Shaitaan script "The baseline is the same for both Gujarati and Hindi films. Both films talk of the ills of black magic. But of course, the graph and the vision of the two directors are different. Vikas sir's vision for my character was crooked. The way she smiles, the way she locks her parents in the storeroom - that was added in the Hindi film- not part of the original. The scene where I am sitting on top of the gas cylinder was an addition to the Hindi film. That chunk is not there in the Gujarati film," pointed out the actress. Eating biscuits and getting a sugar rush for a scene A scene in Shaitaan involved Madhavan's character commanding Janaki to eat up an entire packet of raw tea leaves. Janaki revealed that the packet had Oreo biscuit crumbs in it. "In Vash, the tea packet was filled with Oreo in the top layer but had tea leaves in the bottom. Because of multiple takes, I did eat a lot of the tea leaves. In Shaitaan, however, the box was filled with biscuit crumbs and by the end of it- I had a major sugar rush. The writing was foolproof for both films Janaki called Krishnadev Yagnik's story gripping even on paper. "We didn't have to do anything extra at all. Kudos to the screenplay writer Aameel Kiyan Khan for writing something so gripping that even when I read the script I was feeling the same rush that the viewers had while watching the film," the actress said. She did find the physical action in the film difficult. "One has to be cautious that no one gets hurt while you are performing. But I was lucky- both while filming Gujarati and Hindi film- that my co-actors were supportive, they told me that that it is part of your job, even if we get hurt - don't worry, just do your job. If you have to show aggression on screen, do it- so that it looks authentic," she added. Janki's favourite scene from Shaitaan "The scene where my character urinates in front of her father was beautifully written. It demanded a lot from me as an actor and that scene was special. As an actor I had to show emotions to my father and through my eyes tell him to not come near me or else I would be compelled to hit him. Also, the subsequent sequence where Jyothika ma'am comes and changes my shorts was very aesthetically shot. It was such a delicate scene but so well written. As a performer I enjoyed doing that scene," recalled Janki. The actress has been earning praise from all across for her performance but she feels her father's compliment after watching both the films is the most special for her. So far Janki has not signed any Hindi film but will be seen in a Gujrati film which is up for release in June.

Interview | Dissecting Shaitaan with actress Janki Bodiwala: My character was crooked in Hindi version

Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a film by its trailer. Filmmaker Vikas Bahl's latest,&nbsp;Shaitaan's first trailer had got the audience curious. The film's casting- Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan and Jyothika- the premise, the thrilling elements shown in the trailer- all made Shaitaan look very interesting. But does it match up to the expectations? Only partially.&nbsp; 
 
The story is simple. Based on the Gujarati film Vash, Shaitaan has Ajay Devgn playing Kabir who takes his family to their vacation home outside the city. On their way to the farmhouse, during a tea break at a local dhaba, they meet Vanraj (R Madhavan) -an over-friendly man who befriends the family of four over a cup of tea. Vanraj is particularly interested in talking to Kabir's teenage daughter Janvi (Janki Bodiwala) who seems too enamoured by the man in no time. 
 
Kabir and his wife Jyoti (Jyothika) do not suspect anything until hours later Vanraj ends up entering their sprawling farmhouse on the pretext of getting his phone charged. He doesn't leave and soon enough the family realises that he has hypnotised Janvi to an extent that she is now following every instruction of his to the T. She first hurts her younger brother Dhruv (Anngad Raj), slaps her father, and is also ready to stab her mother- all on Vanraj's instructions, who casually lies on their plush couch and plays a sinister game of controlling the family.&nbsp; 
 
At one point Kabir- a doting father- tells his daughter that he would find her from any corner of the earth if need be. But deep into the night as Vanraj creates mayhem, he is compelled to think if sacrificing his darling daughter to Vanraj might be a better idea- just to save his young, bleeding son and his wife.&nbsp; 
 
Shaitaan's screenplay by Aamil Keeyan Khan helps to create the perfect premise for the psychological horror film. In the first half, when Vanraj intrudes and stays at the farmhouse, Kabir and Jyoti's realisation of how Janvi is under Vanraj's control and a crucial scene where the cops come calling- are tense and keep you on the edge of your seat. The writing is gripping and it is well executed on screen. But the writing dips horribly in the second half. Post interval, some of the scenes are individually great but when they are stitched together, they don't make the narrative edgy. The last half an hour of the 132-minute-long film seems so outlandish and stretched that it completely spoils the otherwise gripping first half of the film.&nbsp; 
 
I wish the writing was sharp. The characters are well-written. Especially Madhavan, who plays his baddie act with such nonchalance that you understand how it's easy to be friends with someone so charming. He casually instructs a hypnotised Janvi to kill her family. He smiles and threatens the family with dire consequences if they don't listen to him and give their daughter to him.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/upDhKSx7P7E?si=i7oY1t-On-BDomzN" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> 
 
Complementing him in every scene is actress Janki Bodiwala who reprises her role as Janvi after playing it in the original Guajarati film. Janvi is aware of the ill deeds she is doing but is helpless. Janki's dialogues are limited but the young actress uses physical expression to deliver a stunning act. As the possessed Janvi, Janki manages to give you the creeps.&nbsp; 
 
Ajay Devgn, meanwhile, plays the helpless father with much restraint. Considering he is the producer of the film and is known to play the larger-than-life hero in most films, you expect him to outwit Madhavan's character easily but the plot limits his reactions. Jyothika emotes through her eyes and delivers the role of a mother who doesn't want to give up the fight that easily.&nbsp; 
 
Shaitaan starts on a high but ends with a whimper. Bahl's direction soars high in establishing a credible, edgy plot that loses focus in the second half. By the time the film is in its climactic finale,&nbsp;it becomes melodramatic and feels too stretched.&nbsp; 
 
I had hoped that Shaitaan would leave a lasting impression but it actually has a middling effect. You want to laud R Madhavan and Janaki Bodiwala's credible performances but the weak script lets the actors down to a great extent.&nbsp;Shaitaan was released in theatres this Friday.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a film by its trailer. Filmmaker Vikas Bahl's latest, Shaitaan's first trailer had got the audience curious. The film's casting- Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan and Jyothika- the premise, the thrilling elements shown in the trailer- all made Shaitaan look very interesting.

Never judge a book by its cover, and never judge a film by its trailer. Filmmaker Vikas Bahl's latest, Shaitaan's first trailer had got the audience curious. The film's casting- Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan and Jyothika- the premise, the thrilling elements shown in the trailer- all made Shaitaan look very interesting. But does it match up to the expectations? Only partially. The story is simple. Based on the Gujarati film Vash, Shaitaan has Ajay Devgn playing Kabir who takes his family to their vacation home outside the city. On their way to the farmhouse, during a tea break at a local dhaba, they meet Vanraj (R Madhavan) -an over-friendly man who befriends the family of four over a cup of tea. Vanraj is particularly interested in talking to Kabir's teenage daughter Janvi (Janki Bodiwala) who seems too enamoured by the man in no time. Kabir and his wife Jyoti (Jyothika) do not suspect anything until hours later Vanraj ends up entering their sprawling farmhouse on the pretext of getting his phone charged. He doesn't leave and soon enough the family realises that he has hypnotised Janvi to an extent that she is now following every instruction of his to the T. She first hurts her younger brother Dhruv (Anngad Raj), slaps her father, and is also ready to stab her mother- all on Vanraj's instructions, who casually lies on their plush couch and plays a sinister game of controlling the family. At one point Kabir- a doting father- tells his daughter that he would find her from any corner of the earth if need be. But deep into the night as Vanraj creates mayhem, he is compelled to think if sacrificing his darling daughter to Vanraj might be a better idea- just to save his young, bleeding son and his wife. Shaitaan's screenplay by Aamil Keeyan Khan helps to create the perfect premise for the psychological horror film. In the first half, when Vanraj intrudes and stays at the farmhouse, Kabir and Jyoti's realisation of how Janvi is under Vanraj's control and a crucial scene where the cops come calling- are tense and keep you on the edge of your seat. The writing is gripping and it is well executed on screen. But the writing dips horribly in the second half. Post interval, some of the scenes are individually great but when they are stitched together, they don't make the narrative edgy. The last half an hour of the 132-minute-long film seems so outlandish and stretched that it completely spoils the otherwise gripping first half of the film. I wish the writing was sharp. The characters are well-written. Especially Madhavan, who plays his baddie act with such nonchalance that you understand how it's easy to be friends with someone so charming. He casually instructs a hypnotised Janvi to kill her family. He smiles and threatens the family with dire consequences if they don't listen to him and give their daughter to him. Complementing him in every scene is actress Janki Bodiwala who reprises her role as Janvi after playing it in the original Guajarati film. Janvi is aware of the ill deeds she is doing but is helpless. Janki's dialogues are limited but the young actress uses physical expression to deliver a stunning act. As the possessed Janvi, Janki manages to give you the creeps. Ajay Devgn, meanwhile, plays the helpless father with much restraint. Considering he is the producer of the film and is known to play the larger-than-life hero in most films, you expect him to outwit Madhavan's character easily but the plot limits his reactions. Jyothika emotes through her eyes and delivers the role of a mother who doesn't want to give up the fight that easily. Shaitaan starts on a high but ends with a whimper. Bahl's direction soars high in establishing a credible, edgy plot that loses focus in the second half. By the time the film is in its climactic finale, it becomes melodramatic and feels too stretched. I had hoped that Shaitaan would leave a lasting impression but it actually has a middling effect. You want to laud R Madhavan and Janaki Bodiwala's credible performances but the weak script lets the actors down to a great extent. Shaitaan was released in theatres this Friday.

Shaitaan review: R Madhavan's sinister act isn't enough to save this weak story 

The nationwide lockdown has led to new changes in all spheres of life. In cinema, several filmmakers have now opted for a direct digital release of their films as uncertainty over the future of cinema halls looms large. 
 
Tamil film 'Ponmagal Vandhal' starring Jyothika in the lead role is heading for a digital premiere on digital space and the actress feels that the move will boost regional cinema. 
 
"Definitely, it will be a boost to the regional cinema and content-oriented films. There`s a lot more we will get to see right now and we will get to know what is the flavour of every state. So, it is going to be a huge step and big change in the way we see films," Jyothika told a news agency. 
 
'Ponmagal Vandhal' is a legal drama that will have its world premiere on May 29. It is written and directed by JJ Fredrick, and produced by Jyotika`s husband, Tamil superstar Suriya, along with Rajsekar Karpoorasundarapandian. 
 
With the multiplexes remaining shut, the streaming platform Amazon Prime Video is going all out in a bid to revolutionize the way we might watch films in the future. The streaming portal have announced seven films straight-to-OTT release. 
Jyothika though feels that the thrill of watching a film in a theatre is unmatched. "As for producers and actors, the theatre is an emotion for us. We have grown up seeing films in theatres, of actors we have been fans of. Today, when we do a film, people clap, applaud and whistle. That`s not matchable at all," she said. 
 
"But saying that, small films need a wider reach. We also need the film to be seen. I have done seven to eight films in the last four or five years, I do see a very small audience going to watch it. It`s overwhelming to see hitting 10 million views in two days, and the kind of response we are getting. It`s a big boon. OTT is a big boon for small films," she added. 
 
The actress who was part of the virtual press conference stated that the narrative of women in cinema is also changing. 
"There has been huge change over the last five to seven years. There are a lot of women-centric films that are being made and doing good. In the South, 90 per cent women-centric films that have released have done well as compared to male-centric films, where it is 50/50. So I think women-centric films always come with good content and we work thrice as much harder to get it right," she said. 
 
"I think the utmost amount of hard work is now having a platform all over India and moreover in the South. One thing which is not picking up is as woman are ageing, we still don`t have more of 35-plus heroines, who are ruling the roost. There are more films made with the younger ones," she observed. 
 
Jyothika added that it would be pathbreaking if more films are made with women above 40 years of age as protagonists. "I think that it would be pathbreaking to see all the women above 40, 45 and 50 -- the way it is in Hollywood -- if there are more films made on them," she said.

The nationwide lockdown has led to new changes in all spheres of life. In cinema, several filmmakers have now opted for a direct digital release of their films as uncertainty over the future of cinema halls looms large.

The nationwide lockdown has led to new changes in all spheres of life. In cinema, several filmmakers have now opted for a direct digital release of their films as uncertainty over the future of cinema halls looms large. Tamil film 'Ponmagal Vandhal' starring Jyothika in the lead role is heading for a digital premiere on digital space and the actress feels that the move will boost regional cinema. "Definitely, it will be a boost to the regional cinema and content-oriented films. There`s a lot more we will get to see right now and we will get to know what is the flavour of every state. So, it is going to be a huge step and big change in the way we see films," Jyothika told a news agency. 'Ponmagal Vandhal' is a legal drama that will have its world premiere on May 29. It is written and directed by JJ Fredrick, and produced by Jyotika`s husband, Tamil superstar Suriya, along with Rajsekar Karpoorasundarapandian. With the multiplexes remaining shut, the streaming platform Amazon Prime Video is going all out in a bid to revolutionize the way we might watch films in the future. The streaming portal have announced seven films straight-to-OTT release. Jyothika though feels that the thrill of watching a film in a theatre is unmatched. "As for producers and actors, the theatre is an emotion for us. We have grown up seeing films in theatres, of actors we have been fans of. Today, when we do a film, people clap, applaud and whistle. That`s not matchable at all," she said. "But saying that, small films need a wider reach. We also need the film to be seen. I have done seven to eight films in the last four or five years, I do see a very small audience going to watch it. It`s overwhelming to see hitting 10 million views in two days, and the kind of response we are getting. It`s a big boon. OTT is a big boon for small films," she added. The actress who was part of the virtual press conference stated that the narrative of women in cinema is also changing. "There has been huge change over the last five to seven years. There are a lot of women-centric films that are being made and doing good. In the South, 90 per cent women-centric films that have released have done well as compared to male-centric films, where it is 50/50. So I think women-centric films always come with good content and we work thrice as much harder to get it right," she said. "I think the utmost amount of hard work is now having a platform all over India and moreover in the South. One thing which is not picking up is as woman are ageing, we still don`t have more of 35-plus heroines, who are ruling the roost. There are more films made with the younger ones," she observed. Jyothika added that it would be pathbreaking if more films are made with women above 40 years of age as protagonists. "I think that it would be pathbreaking to see all the women above 40, 45 and 50 -- the way it is in Hollywood -- if there are more films made on them," she said.

Jyothika bats for more women-centric films as 'Ponmagal Vandhal' gears up for digital premiere

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