JHUND is a fantastic social entertainer with outstanding writing, direction, and performances.
JHUND is a fantastic entertainment with its writing, direction, and performance as its key qualities.
4.0/5 & Review Rating for Jhund
JHUND is a film about a unique football squad. Amitabh Bachchan's character, Vijay Borade, is a professor at St John's College. The educational institution is located near a large slum area. The youth in this neighbourhood are uneducated and rely on odd occupations to make ends meet. They've even been known to steal jewellery, cellphones, and coal from moving trains. Vijay encounters some of these young people, including Ankush aka Don (Ankush Gedam), Babu (Priyanshu Kshatriya), Angel (Angel Anthony), Vishakha (Vishakha Uikey), Yogesh (Yogesh Uikey), Raziya (Rajiya Kazi), and others.Using an abandoned plastic box to play football. He recognises their enormous potential, but they are squandering it by committing crimes and abusing drugs. The next day, he visits the ghetto and meets these young folks. He challenges them to a 30-minute football game. He'll pay them Rs. 500 in exchange. They are in agreement. They had a great time, and after they conclude their game, Vijay gives them the promised Rs. 500. This continues for several days. Vijay vanishes from the earth one day. These slum children then proceed to his home. Vijay informs them that he is out of money and will not be able to pay them.Using an abandoned plastic box to play football. He recognises their enormous potential, but they are squandering it by committing crimes and abusing drugs. The next day, he visits the ghetto and meets these young folks. He challenges them to a 30-minute football game. He'll pay them Rs. 500 in exchange. They are in agreement. They had a great time, and after they conclude their game, Vijay gives them the promised Rs. 500. This continues for several days. Vijay vanishes from the earth one day. These slum children then proceed to his home. Vijay informs them that he is out of money and will not be able to pay them.
Nagraj Popatrao Manjule's storey is fantastic, combining sports with a social message. The screenplay by Nagraj Popatrao Manjule is brutal. However, he prioritises entertainment. The situation becomes a little more serious, yet it never becomes dismal or too dark; he knows when to draw the line. However, the writing is stretched in a few instances. The conversations of Nagraj Popatrao Manjule are conversational and, at times, rather amusing.
The directing of Nagraj Popatrao Manjule is excellent. Many films have been made in this genre, including CHAK DE INDIA [2017], ABCD [2013], HICHKI [2018], and others.However, there is no sense of déjà vu since Nagraj sets it in a very genuine setting and due of the smaller details. His storytelling is masterful and engaging, and the manner he illuminates social issues must be seen to be believed. What's even better is that he doesn't let it become niche food. Even for general audiences, the symbolism he has attempted to express in numerous locations is simple to understand. On the other hand, at 178 minutes, the film is far too long. The environment and characters are introduced in a thorough manner. The film should be cut by 20-30 minutes if possible. The first half is extremely action-packed, and the second half has its fair share of thrilling situations as well.
JHUND gets off to a wonderful start, with Vijay's first encounter with Ankush being particularly memorable. The sequence in which he bribes the kids to play football is amusing. However, the film improves as the creators successfully demonstrate how the kids become accustomed to the sport and are now willing to commit time in it without monetary gain. The college football game takes up a large portion of the first half and is highly thrilling.The scene in which young kids talk to Vijay about their life is touching and well-executed. A few sequences stand out after the intermission, such as the students cleaning up the campus grounds, Monika's (Rinku Rajguru) battle to secure her passport, and the courtroom scenario. The climax is suspenseful.
In his long and famous career, Amitabh Bachchan has produced a number of spectacular performances. In JHUND, though, he dazzles with his performance. He keeps his act under control, and it pays off handsomely. Ankush Gedam is the film's biggest surprise, and he gets a lot of screen time. Babu is played by Priyanshu Kshatriya, who is funny. He generates the most laughs. In the scene where he plays the banjo, Yogesh Uikey is fantastic. Rajiya Kazi is a good person. Kishor Kadam is excellent at antagonist roles.Angel Anthony and Vishakha Uikey are given limited screen time. Bhushan Manjule (Raziya's husband) and Chhaya Kadam (Vijay's wife) are in the same boat. Arjun Radhakrishnan (Vijay Borade's son) is fine, but the manner in which he returns to India to be with his father is perplexing. Surat Limbo (Khelchand, a former peon who became a player) is in good shape. Although Ashish Khachane (Jagdish; suicidal person) is attractive, his character suffers from a lack of background information. Sayali Narendra Patil (Bhavana) is attractive and competent. Nagraj Popatrao Manjule (Hitler) is a complete waste of time. Monika's father, Manik Babulal Gedam, is a good man.Suresh Vishvakarma (the shop owner who is asked to assist in the identification procedure) is a hilarious character. Rinku Rajguru and Akash Thosar (Sambhya) from SAIRAT both appear in JHUND, and both perform admirably.
The music of Ajay-Atul is good. 'Aaye Ye Jhund Hai' is a foot-tapping song that is confined to the background. 'Lafda Zala' is beautifully shot and reminds me of SAIRAT's 'Zingaat' track. 'Laat Maar' and 'Baadal Se Dosti' are acceptable alternatives. The background score of Saket Kanetkar is significantly better, which adds to the effect.
Sudhakar Yakkanti Reddy's cinematography is unique, with particularly well-executed slum and football scenes. The production design by Snigdha Katmahe and Pankaj Shivdas Poal is highly realistic. The script calls for non-glamorous costumes for Priyanka Gayatri Dubey and Mahananda Sagare. Amitabh Bachchan's outfits by Veera Kapur Ee are a little drab, but they fit the character. The editing by Kutub Inamdar and Vaibhav Dabhade should have been better.
Overall, Nagraj Popatrao Manjule's composition and direction, as well as the performances, make JHUND an excellent social entertainer. It has a lot of promise at the box office because word of mouth is likely to be quite positive. It also deserves to be tax-free. Recommended!
