Ever since I began watching cinema, Amitabh Bachchan has been the landmark that I see every actor’s performance by. I have never seen him falter in his craft in my lifetime. The projects that he is associated with might fall back, but his performance has never been less than extraordinary. And it’s this finesses that anytime a project is announced with him, my expectations are automatically built from it. The same happened when the biographical sports drama Jhund was announced, and now that it’s trailer has released, I can proudly say that the legendary artist has lived up to his image yet again.
Before going further, check out the trailer here:
Jhund is based on the life of Vijay Barse, the founder of NGO slum soccer. It is directed by the National Award winner Nagraj Popatrao Manjule, and apart from the Big B, the film also features Akash Thosar and Rinku Rajguru, marking a reunion for the duo with their director after their super successful Marathi film Sairat. Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Savita Raj Hiremath, Raaj Hiremath, Nagraj, Gargee Kulkarni, Meenu Aroraa and Sandeep Singh, Jhund will release in theatres on March 4, 2022.
The trailer follows the story of these kids from a slum in Mumbai who are reckless, rebels and indulged in some illegal activities, but here comes a man, played by Bachchan, who sees extreme potential in them. It follows his journey of trying to make a National Football team out of these kids, to whom no one wants to give a chance, and this underdog story just has my heart.
While Big B’s intensity is heart rendering, the range of emotions he shows as a coach, from being playful and happy to emotional and helpless in just a few minutes is like a masterclass of acting. The kids are so fresh and aptly suited to their parts that they bring rawness, freshness and credibility to the story. And being a Sairat lover, I feel so good to see Akash and Rinku back again on screen.
Although Jhund is a Hindi film, it has that essence of a regional film that just makes it all the more special. There is that rooted touch that makes me connect to it more. I know that when the film releases on March 4, I will be going to the theatres rooting for these underdogs and I am sure it will have the same effect on you as well.