Jhund is an excellent flick that touches upon the realities of our times. Sairat director Nagraj Popatrao Manjule has directed and written this film and he ensures the film doesn’t become depressing or dark. He keeps the entertainment quotient up while raising some important points. The first half follows a predictable route but the film goes on a different track in the second half. The angle that Nagraj opts for at this hour is quite arresting and novel. However, those expecting to see more football in the post-interval portion might be a little dejected. The film is quite long and one begins to feel that, more so in the later part of the film. Speaking of performances, Amitabh Bachchan, as expected, is outstanding. The mega star has delivered several memorable performances in his life and yet, he stuns with his act in this movie. Ankush Gedam (Ankush aka Don) leaves a huge mark and is like the second hero of the film. Priyanshu Kshatriya is too good as Babu. Kishor Kadam is fine in the antagonist kind of a role. Sayali Narendra Patil (Bhavana) does fine but her actions in the second half are far from convincing. Ashish Khachane (Jagdish; suicidal person) is lovely but his character suffers due to lack of a back story. The Sairat actors, Rinku Rajguru (Monika) and Akash Thosar (Sambhya), also star in Jhund and are damn good, especially the former. Director Nagraj Popatrao Manjule plays a cameo and is wasted. All in all, Jhund is a National Award-worthy fare; a film that entertains as well as enlightens. Don’t miss!
My rating – **** out of 5!