Amitabh Bachchan was one of the biggest stars of Bollywood’s golden era. His acting prowess and larger-than-life personality made him so popular that he singlehandedly launched the careers of co-stars who never quite matched up to his stature in the industry.
The best thing about the film
The best thing about Jhund is that it is a vehicle for Amitabh Bachchan’s star power. The film tries to be many things–a sports drama, a social commentary, and a father-son story–but it never quite sticks the landing on any of them.
However, Bachchan’s performance is the glue that holds the film together. He brings his usual charisma and gravitas to the role and is the only reason to watch this overlong meander of a movie.
The worst thing about the film
Jhund is a film that tries to be many things at once – a sports drama, a social commentary, and a character study – but it never succeeds at any of them.
The result is a meandering, overlong mess of a film that is saved only by its lead actor’s charisma and star power, Amitabh Bachchan. Even he can’t make this jumbled mess of a movie worth watching.
I found Jhund to be an overlong and meandering film that relied too heavily on the star power of Amitabh Bachchan. The story was thin, and the characters were forgettable. I did appreciate the film’s exploration of poverty and crime in India, but overall I found it disappointing.
What worked
The film’s biggest strength is undoubtedly Amitabh Bachchan’s performance. He brings his trademark charisma and gravity to the role of Vijay Barse, the founder of a slum soccer movement in Nagpur.
What didn’t work?
Unfortunately, the film around him is an overlong, meandering mess. It often feels like it doesn’t know what it wants to be, veering wildly from heartwarming drama to preachy social commentary.