Aaya Ye ‘Jhund’ Hai
JHUND is a film that wants your attention and once it has it, there is no looking back.
Jhund revolves around an almost retired sports professor Vijay Borade (Amitabh Bachchan), a character based on real-life sports professor Vijay Barse. He spots a few youngsters in the neighbouring slum and decides to train them, and make a football team with them. But, will society accept these kids from slum doing something that mainly privileged are authorised to do in this country? Vijay has to face a lot of challenges to make a football team with this Jhund. But like Vijay, is society ready to look at them with dignity and basic respect.
Nagraj Manjule acknowledges their existence and shapes a movie keeping them in mind. While a majority of the old ones focus on the inception and winning moment, Manjule shows you what exactly happens between that. And as you might have already guessed, this isn’t just a sports drama, but the filmmaker talking about several other issues and giving a voice to ones who don’t have it.
Special mention for a football match that plays in the first half for good 20 minutes. Yes, the filmmaker invests a big chunk of a 3-hour runtime for the one and only match in the entire film, bringing you to the edge of your seat. By then he has marinated you so much in the film that you are in the stadium cheering for the “Jhund”.
Jhund does take a dip at the beginning of the second half. The narrative shifts gaze from one slum to many and the base shakes a bit. What was till now compact, is suddenly wide and you aren’t ready for it. A court monologue also feels a bit underdone.
Akash Thosar gets a very weird cameo though. He appears to create conflicts and they get solved quite easily. Rinku Rajguru in a small yet impactful part proves she is progressing in her journey and becoming a stronger actor by each passing day.
Amitabh Bachchan is amazing, he delivers one of his most relaxed and charming performances. The megastar leaving his superstar image aside, takes the backseat when needed and becomes a backbone to the narrative
Director Nagraj Manjule not just talks about a sport, the societal gaze, and the class divide, but also gives the genre a homage and fresh storytelling technique. Nagraj is at his best and so is everything around them.
