Amitabh Bachchan’s Film With Sairat Director Shelved

The much-anticipated collaboration between Amitabh Bachchan and the Sairat director Nagaraj Manjule has fallen through, reportedly due to financial issues.

It was in August 2017 that Mr B had said yes to Nagaraj,an unabashed Bachchan fan . The film entitled Jhund was about about Vijay Barse who more than a decade ago, established the Nagpur based NGO Slum Soccers which helps slum kids find their bearings through the game of football.

The Big B had begun brushing up his football, a game he played in his college days. Jhund was supposed to go on the floors in October 2017. However five months have passed and there is no sign of the project taking off.

A source close to the project reveals, “The film’s financial dynamics were just not working out. And the makers have decided to call it off.”

Nagaraj had been writing Jhund for a good two years.

He had exicitedly declared, “ I was researching on the subject for many years. I don’t mind spending time on my script. I spent a good 8 years on the script of Sairat.I wrote Jhund with only Bachchan Saab in mind.I’ve been his fan from childhood. I grew up copying his clothes speech and mannerisms from Majboor and Deewaar. I’d go to school with my shirt tied like Bachchan Saab inDeewaar and get severely reprimanded by my teachers. But the punishment had no effect on me. I’d still do it.”

Nagaraj, a self-confessed Bachchan bhakt, says when he met the Bachchan he was somehow able to control his adulation. “I don’t know how but I managed to remain calm restrained and dignified. I actually wanted to jump out of my seat and dance around him. But I narrated my script in an even tone. I am happy I did that. I didn’t want to come across as just a fan. Of course I am a fan for lifetime . 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.”

Sadly the adulation and excitement has come to an impasse.

Vaibhav Choudhary