Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 11, 2019)

Amitabh Bachchan’s Jhund may not be able to keep its September 20 date with the audience, but the film’s team is hard at work, inching towards a new deadline. Even as the makers of the Nagraj Manjule-directed venture are eyeing a November weekend for release, the immediate plan is to release the trailer or music of the sports drama on October 11, as a tribute to the megastar who turns 77.

Savita Raj Hiremath, who is producing the film along with Bhushan Kumar, Manjule and Raj Hiremath, tells mid-day, “We are planning to release the teaser in the first week of October. We might also release the official trailer or launch the music on Bachchan sir’s birthday.”

The drama — based on the life of professor Vijay Barse, who founded the NGO Slum Soccer that works towards the upliftment of underprivileged kids through football — had gone on floors last December. Prod Hiremath on the two- month delay in release, and she attributes it to the overlapping schedules of Bachchan and Manjule. “My director got busy with the Marathi version of Kaun Banega Crorepati [Kon Honar Crorepati], which was not [accounted for] earlier. He got the offer out of the blue after the Nagpur schedule of Jhund got over. However, as soon as my director wraps up his KHC shoot, Bachchan sir will start shooting for the Hindi version. The film is almost complete, barring a one-day shoot with Bachchan sir. So, Bhushan, Nagraj and I are currently working out the dates and will soon announce the release date.”

Jhund marks the Bollywood debut of Manjule, who shot to fame with Sairat (2016).