Jhund

Nagraj Manjule's 2022 Indian film follows a physical education teacher approaching retirement. He sees young men fighting in the slum beyond the school wall, gives them a ball and proposes a tournament. Manjule's film starts like a sports story but its real subject is caste and class. Getting the young men onto the pitch is not enough; for children without identity papers, with records, and without registered addresses, even entering a tournament is an administrative obstacle. The film shows that bureaucratic wall for longer than it shows the pitch. The story was inspired by the work of Vijay Barse, who founded a football club for slum children in Nagpur. Amitabh Bachchan plays the teacher; most of the young cast are not professional actors. Who it's for: those who like socially grounded Indian cinema and Manjule's work. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a short sports film; the running time is long and the matches are a small part of it.