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Jhund movie Review: A heartfelt effort by Amitabh Bachchan in this sports thriller

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Featuring Amitabh Bachchan in the role of Vijay Borade, a former sports professor who formed an NGO called Slum Soccer, Jhund is an entertainment of a different kind. Vijay watches a group of kids playing with a plastic barrel in a neighboring slum and realizes that they have the capacity to succeed in life rather than succumb to the gang violence that permeates Nagpur’s slums.

As a result, he keeps them away from drugs, alcohol, and crimes like chain-snatching by forming a football club from the slums. Was it a simple task to do all of that? What were the obstacles he had to overcome? Did he have the power to make a difference in anyone’s life? In its over three-hour length, the film demonstrates this.

Making a film this lengthy is debatable in today’s world of over-the-top (OTT) platforms and their abundance of material. Manjule, on the other hand, is able to keep the audience engaged to a significant degree. There are parts when you wonder whether the plot has gotten a little off track. After a while, you’ll be drawn to another compelling sight. It’s the cinematography that does the trick.

Sudhakar Reddy Yakkanti’s cinematography deserves full credit for creating an unprecedented level of empathy by showing close-ups of children. During the football match scenes, be on the lookout for an adrenaline surge.

At one point immediately before to intermission, young people and adults from slum areas share their life tales, and not once does it seem scripted. In the Nagpuria dialect, you’ll be blown away by how accurate it is. That’s where Jhund may come through for me and score a goal. The conclusion is another moment that has a lasting impression on you. In Manjule, you can see how even if you’re a “Don” in your neighborhood, things are never simple when you’re out in the world.

However, the film’s pre- and post-interval narratives are inconsistent. The first half of the film is tense and gripping, but the second half devolves into a slew of social issues and melodrama. It’s a relief that the protagonist doesn’t deliver a slew of monologues. First-half humor abruptly departs as attention moves to concerns such as socioeconomic inequity, sexism and gender discrepancy.

When it comes to the film’s sports portions, there are a number of déjà vu moments when you see the football squad in action. There’s nothing new about the highlights from films like Lagaan, Chak De India, Dangal, Sultan, and a slew of others. Despite the fact that they’re entertaining to watch, they don’t provide anything new. All this would have been for nothing if it weren’t for Amitabh Bachchan’s presence on film.

The fact that he can pull off this character at the age of 80 is nothing short of amazing, to say the least. He dominates the screen in every scene he is in, leaving you wanting more. You’re moved by the warmth and friendship he displays with the children. Moreover, he never once tries to take credit for his team’s success.

Every member of the group has an opportunity to shine. Aakash Thosar and Rinky Rajguru, Manjule’s players from Sairat, have tiny roles in the ensemble cast but contribute significantly to the tale.

As a conclusion, Jhund is not a sports biopic, and it should not be seen as such. It shows you the true challenges and what goes on behind the scenes when you attempt to do something that everyone tells you you can’t.

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Playing a football coach who recruits youngsters from the local shantytown for his squad, Amitabh Bachchan portrays the role.Jhund movie Review: A heartfelt effort by Amitabh Bachchan in this sports thriller