Jhund Movie Review: Amitabh Bachchan Stands Tall; His 'Jhund' Scores The Winning Goal In Nagraj Manjule's Film

Story

Set in Gaddigodam, Nagpur, Jhund begins with Manjule giving us an intimate look at the slum-dwellers there who live from hand to mouth. The youngsters engage in several illegal activities right from chain-snatching to selling illegal liquor. When not smoking drugs, some of them indulge in gambling and pick up nasty street fights.

On the other hand, Vijay Borade (Amitabh Bachchan), sports coach at St John's School and a social worker is on his cusp of retirement. When he comes across a group of slum kids playing football with a plastic barrell on a rainy day, it dawns upon him that he can channelize their hidden talent in the right direction so that they can escape from the dark alleys of crime and addiction.

Vijay slowly befriends them and begins to coach them in the game of football. In the process, the kids discover their life goals and try to become better human beings. But will the other side of their world welcome them with open arms?

Direction

If Nagraj Manjule's last Marathi blockbuster Sairat was a classic tale of star-crossed love in the caste cauldron of Solapur, his Bollywood directorial debut Jhund set in the underbelly of Nagpur, raises some pertinent questions on social injustice in the guise of a sports drama.

Inspired by the real-life story of Vijay Borse, social worker and founder of Slum Soccer, Manjule weaves an intriguing narrative with the right dose of emotions and humour. At the same time, he doesn't shy away from his trademark storytelling of using pathos and wit for social critique. Right from the Nagpuri lingo to the easy-flowing dialogues mouthed by the kids, the director gets it all right.

On a broader note, in times when we see how talented not-haves are often reduced to mere viral sensations on social media only to be easily forgotten, Jhund talks about breaking the societal walls and extending hands to help them leap onto the brighter side.

Speaking about the minuses, the screenplay falters a bit in the second half as the pace drops. However, Manjule realizes his folly early and makes up for it with some heart-tugging moments and a brilliantly shot scene at the airport towards the climax.

Performances

It's commendable how Nagraj Manjule, an ardent Big B fan, doesn't fall into the trap of presenting the legendary actor in a larger-than-life avatar and deviating from the narrative of his film. Jhund isn't about Amitabh Bachchan, the megastar. Barring a monologue in a crucial sequence, the veteran actor doesn't get any 'heroic' scenes. But that's where lies the victory of Sr Bachchan, to underplay and easily blend in the world of Vijay Borade.

One of the biggest strengths of Jhund is its brilliant cast. It's not easy to catch attention when you share a frame with the Shahenshah Of Bollywood, but the kids at their natural best, achieve this feat.

Ankush Gedam as Ankush Mehshram aka Don, one of the central characters in the film, delivers an impressive performance. Special mention for Kartik Uikey as Kartik who is gem of a talent and leaves you in splits with his funny liners. The rest of the cast including Babu Chhetri, Saylii Patil, Rehann Sheikh, Arbaj Sheikh, Angel Anthony and others perform with confidence. Kishor Kadam and Chhaya Kadam act their parts well. Sairat fame Akash Thosar and Rinki Rajguru are good in their respective cameos.

Technical Aspects

Besides the stellar cast and Nagraj Manjule's deft direction, Jhund deserves an applause for Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti's top-notch camera work, that elevates the film by several notches. His excellent use of bright color-palettes adds a vibrant tone to this story about underdogs.

Music

If the title track 'Aaye Ye Jhund' gives you an adrenaline rush with its energetic beats, 'Laat Maar' is inspiring to the ears. Ajay-Atul try to attempt another 'Zingaat' with 'Lafda Zala' but are let down by forgetable lyrics except the hookline. 'Baadal Se Dosti' grows on you slowly.

Verdict

In one of the most touching scenes in Jhund when the slum kids bare their life stories to Amitabh Bachchan's Vijay Borade, the youngest of them innocently asks him, "Bharat matlab?" For a moment, Borade looks a bit shocked, but dismisses it with a slight smile. Nagraj Manjule's latest outing succeeds more when it is soaked in realism to hit you hard in the gut.