Oh no, Amitabh film with Sairat director put on hold?

By Nichola

on March 05, 2018

In August 2017, it had created a stir when it was revealed that Amitabh Bachchan and Nagraj Manjule would collaborate for a film called Jhund. Some searing cinema would be in store, given Bachchan’s mammoth talent and Nagraj’s intense vision. The film was to be based on the real life story of Vijay Barse, who had established an NGO for children to find their footing in life through football. Bachchan had reportedly even started brushing up on his footie moves, as Jhund was supposed to start filming in October 2017.

However, several months later, there have been no developments as far as this Nargraj Manjule directorial goes. Insiders reveal that the reason behind this delay is that the financials have not fallen into place. Despite repeated attempts, the economics could not be worked out and now the makers have apparently pulled the plug on the project.

Now that is sad news indeed for cinema. The filmmaker who came up with the brilliant, visceral and yet engaging Sairat, the biggest hit of Marathi cinema so far, had been writing Jhund over two full years! He had revealed that he had been researching the subject for many years. “I don’t mind spending time on my script. I spent a good eight years on the script of Sairat,” he had shared.

What’s more, Manjule had written Jhund with only Amitabh Bachchan in mind. “I’ve been a fan of his since my childhood. I grew up copying his clothes, speech and mannerisms from Majboor and Deewar. I’d go to school with my shirt tied like his in Deewar, and would get severely reprimanded by my teachers. But the punishment had no effect on me. I’d still do it,” the filmmaker had revealed of his Bachchan obsession.

He had also shared that when he had finally met the megastar for the first time, he actually wanted to jump out of his seat and dance around him! However, he managed to sit still and narrate the Jhund script properly. “And someday, when I complete my film with him, I’ll tell him how much effort it took me to not gush and rave when I met him for the first time,” he had said.
Unfortunately,Nichola by the way things stand today, that day might never come.