Jhund

Jhund is a 2022 Indian sports drama film.  Directed by Nagraj Manjule the movie has Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role.  This film is based on the life of Vijay Barse, a retired sports teacher and founder of the NGO ‘Slum Soccer’ which aims to uplift the lives of underprivileged children in India by promoting football.

The movie opens with a shot of Nagpur’s slum area where a group of street kids ae playing football.  One of them Jhontu, dreams of playing for a Indian football team someday.  However, their dreams are often crushed by the realities of poverty and lack of opportunities.

Enter Vijay Barse, a retired sports teacher comes across the same group of kids playing football and is impressed by their skills.    He decides to start a football team with them, hoping to channel their energy and talent into something positive.

Initially the kids are skeptical and hesitant to join the team but Vijay manages to convince them with his passion and determination.  He trains them rigorously and instills in them the value and discipline, teamwork and hardwork.

However their journey is not without challenges. The local goons and politicians are threatened by their success and try to sabotage their efforts.  The police also harass them, suspecting them to be involved in criminal activities.

Meanwhile, Vijay’s own past catches up with him when his son, who he had abandoned years ago, comes looking for him.  Their relationship is strained and complicated, with his son blaming him for neglecting his family for the sake of his football dreams.

Despite these obstacles, Vijay and his team persevere and eventually become a force to be reckoned with in the field of football. They participate in various tournaments and win several matches, earning the respect and admiration of the local community.

However, their success is short-lived when the authorities accuse them of cheating and disqualify them from a crucial tournament. Vijay is devastated and loses hope, but his team rallies around him and convinces him not to give up. 

In the final match, they face their toughest opponents yet – a team of privileged and well-trained players who mock and underestimate them, However, Vijay’s team proves their worth with their sheer determination and passion for the game. They win the match and Jhontu scores the winning goal, fulfilling his dream of playing for the Indian team someday.

The movie ends with a shot of Vijay and his team standing tall, proud of their achievements and their journey towards realizing their dreams.

Overall ‘Jhund’ is a heartwarming and inspiring story of hope, resilience and the power of sports to transform lives. 

Cast:

Amitabh Bachchan as Vijay Borade

Chhaya Kadam as Ranjana Borade, Vijay Borade’s wife

Arjun Radhakrishnan as Arjun Borade, Vijay Borade’s son

Ankush Gedam as Ankush Masram aka Don

Akash Thosar as Sambhya

Rinku Rajguru as Monica

Sayli Patil as Bhavana

Somnath Awaghade as Imran

Rajiya Suhel as Rajiya

Angel Anthony as Angel

Karthik Ujkey as Kartik

Priyanshu Thakur as Babu Chitre

Jaspreeet Singh Randhawa as Aman

Tanaji Galgunde as Saajan

Arbaj Shaikh as Raju

Kiran Thoke as OK

Nagraj Manjule as Hitler Bhai

Kishor Kadam as College Football Team Coach

Bharat Ganeshpure as Local MLA

Ramdas Phutane as Principal

Vitthal Kale as Scorer

Some interesting trivia about the movie:

This is the first Hindi film directed by Nagraj Manjule who is best known for his Marathi films like “Fandry” and “Sairat”.  He has won several awards for his films, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi for “Fandry”.

The films music is composed by Ajay-Atul, who have also worked on Nagraj Manjule’s earlier films.

The film’s title “Jhund” refers to the collective term used for a group of people.