After giving Marathi blockbuster Sairat (2016), which was both critically acclaimed and a box office hit, and Fandry, which won the national film award for the Best Debut Director at 61st National Film Awards, Nagraj Manjule is back with a Hindi movie this time which tells the story of courage and human spirit of most underprivileged sections of our community. Nagraj is known for his excellent cinematography and portraying characters in a sensitive way from different perspective which will leave ever lasting impression on you.
In the times when we see Bollywood making hyper nationalistic movies, some over hyped remakes and biopics, “Jhund” has set up a benchmark for Indian cinema. Jhund offers something to people of all age groups from kids to elderly people.
Storyline
Jhund is based on the life of Vijay Barse, a retired sports teacher who founded an NGO called Slum Soccer and people from slums in Nagpur.
Nagraj have shows Slum people and their life struggle, assertion of their identity in such a creative and dignified way that you won’t feel pity for them instead you will be charged up and motivated to see their spirit, unity and supporting nature towards their community people.
Each frame in the movie tells a story and through them Nagraj have touched many social evils which exist in our society from Triple Talaq to Drug abuse and social exclusion. Our film industry is almost a century old and till now there’s not a single movie in which they have shown Babasaheb B.R Ambedkar’s Birth anniversary celebration in such a beautiful manner.
There’s a song in which people from different social and religious background are dancing together in front of the big frame of Babasaheb, celebrating their leader and the song ends with Amitabh Bachan paying his respect to Babasaheb with folded hands. No where in the movie Nagraj have mentioned the caste of any of the characters except of Don whose surname is mentioned when he visits the passport office.
Nagraj have left it on the audience’s imagination to consider their caste location and social background. There’s diversity in the characters of the movie.
You will see a Muslim girl Razia , a watchman of school who joins the team later on is from North Eastern state (Nepali Community) , a South Indian boy , a Sikh boy who’s the goalkeeper of the team, a girl from haryana and another girl Monica from tribal community.
Cast of the movie
It takes lots of courage to cast so many non actors alongside the biggest actor of Bollywood but all the lead and supporting actors have given terrific performance especially the lead actor Ankush Gedam (Don) & Vijay Barse (Amitabh) shine in the movie.
Also supporting actors Babu, Razia , Imran and red haired chacha and Nagraj Manjule who played some key roles gave amazing performance.
Takeaway from the movie
The movie is about people and not football. Nowhere in the movie Nagraj shift the focus from people of slums to the game.
The movies talks about the people though the sport is the medium of their liberation and assertion. Nagraj have shown slums and people living there from a different lens.
You will see boys indulge in chain snatching, selling and consuming drugs, getting involved in pity fights but at the same time you will notice how caring, compassionate and supportive they are for their Slum people.
How they support each other in their day to day life and they are like this not by birth but because of their circumstances and ignorance of our society towards them. The movie ends when the plane takes off. Nagraj have not shown what happens later on because taking part in an international football tournament is itself a big achievement for them. It’s not about winning or losing. They are able to reach the international level and that itself is a big win for them.
Harsh Chetiwal
Bahadurgarh, Haryana
Harshchetiwal@gmail.com