HIGHLIGHTS:
- Movie Review- JHUND
- Artist- Amitabh Bachchan, Rinku Rajguru, Akash Thosar and Keshav Kadam etc.
- Author- Nagraj Manjule
- The director- Nagraj Manjule
- The creator- Tandav Films and Atpat Films and T-Series
STORY: Former sports coach Vijay Barse devotes his time and money to teaching underprivileged children how to play football in order to keep them away from the drugs and crime that plague Nagpur’s underbelly.
The film ‘Jhund’ tells the story of a coach who sets out to assemble a’swarm’ of people from the outskirts of society. At the very least, it succeeds. How many such coaches can alter a society merely by watching movies, and who achieved great things to change the society by broadcasting Ambedkar’s policies in the society, how much did they change themselves and how much work did they do to bring society up to par?
Amitabh’s Vijay Borade modelled on Vijay Barse
The film is a reflection on what we can do as a society to assist the have-nots in identifying their assets and crossing the threshold to the other, brighter side. In a pivotal scene of the film, set in Nagpur’s bylanes and photographed beautifully, Amitabh’s Vijay Borade (modelled on Vijay Barse, a retired sports professor who has trained numerous street kids in football and formed an NGO Slum Soccer) speaks adequately about it. The camera slickly romances the city’s scenery, particularly the jhopadpatti (slum) where the film is set for the most part.
Although the proceedings in this piece begin slowly, they quickly gather up speed. Vijay Borade is on the verge of retiring from his position as a college sports professor, but he has no plans to do so . He’s motivated enough to offer free adult education seminars to the community at his home. His son’s resistance is obvious but understated, as he wishes to pursue an education abroad. When Vijay notices kids in a nearby slum playing football with a plastic barrell, he begins to coach them in the game, which gradually distracts them from their life of crime and drug addiction.
But how far is he willing to go? Do they all give up their lives in the gloomy underbelly of crime and addiction? Is it possible for some or all of them to jump to the opposite side? All of this and more is addressed in the film’s over three-hour duration.
Nagraj Popatrao Manjule succeeds in holding one’s attention for the most of the film; but, the pace slackens in the second half, and the film may benefit from a crisper edit. Also, the pre-interval run is big on energy, while the post-interval run is high on drama – a better balance would have won the film a few more brownie points. In the first half, there are a few colourful people that add to the atmosphere and even provide some humour. While the plot progresses along, addressing a variety of topics, there is also enough effort made to portray some exciting on-field sports. Every spotlighted character’s arcs and storey loops have been well-crafted; nevertheless, if the editing had been more focused, it would have had a far higher impact.
Centerpieces of the film
The delicacy with which numerous subjects such as caste division, societal judgments, class difference, economic difference, and women’s education and rights are interlaced into the narrative is one of the film’s highlights. The disadvantage is that some of these concerns draw the audience’s attention away from the proceedings, disrupting the story’s general pace.
Amitabh Bachchan’s tremendous performs
Words rarely suffice to express how well Amitabh Bachchan performs in the roles he selects. This time, he’s a retired sports professor who, despite obstacles and financial limitations, uses his time and money to safeguard and nurture children from Nagpur’s slums. He has excellent and complete control over every moment in which he appears, never overshadowing his squad of players and always giving them more strength. What particularly stands out is the assurance with which a group of over a dozen children and young adults, including Ankush (also Don/Ankush in the film), perform. They do a good job of keeping your attention. Despite their limited screen time, Rinku Rajguru and Aakash Thosar (who both appeared in Nagraj’s Sairat) provide solid support to the rest of the ensemble.
The movie is going to be released in big screen on 04th March.
