Aamir Khan urged Amitabh Bachhan to take up Nagraj Manjule's Jhund

He is 75 now,  but there is no dearth of film projects coming Amitabh Bachchan’s way to this day.

The veteran is gearing up for his next, Thugs Of Hindostan, which is due to be released on 8 November.

After the promotions and release of Thugs Of Hindostan, Bachchan will begin shooting for Marathi blockbuster Sairat (2016) director Nagraj Manjule’s maiden Hindi film Jhund.

Co-produced by T-Series, Savita Raj, Raaj Hiremath and Manjule, Jhund is a true story of a college professor, Vijay Barse, who started a soccer tournament for slum children. Bachchan will play Barse.

The veteran gave his nod to the project after discussing it with his Thugs co-star Aamir Khan. In fact, Khan urged him to take up the film, Bachchan revealed at the trailer launch of Thugs Of Hindostan.

Asked about Jhund, Bachchan said, "Once this [Thugs Of Hindostan] is released, I will begin shooting for Jhund in November. It is a true story. This gentleman [Vijay] Barse, he got underprivileged kids from the chawls, some of them take the wrong path in life, he got them together to play as a football team. I had discussed this [film] with Aamir Khan, who urged me to do this film. Once Aamir endorses something, you know what happens. So, I am about to do that."

Aamir Khan is known to pick great subjects that often turn into blockbusters. There are a few whom Aamir Khan has backed, and his advice has helped change careers. Recently, seasoned actor Sharat Saxena revealed how nobody wanted him in Ghulam (1998), but it was Aamir Khan who backed him for the film.

Similarly, music composer Ram Sampath’s life changed when Aamir Khan chose him to score the music for his production Delhi Belly (2011).

It is also well known how Saif Ali Khan was a little reluctant to take up Farhan Akhtar’s Dil Chahta Hai (2001), until Aamir Khan advised him to take it up. Dil Chahta Hai’s success and the appreciation that Saif Ali Khan got for the film were proof of how good a judge Aamir Khan is of a film and a role.

Now that he has taken up Jhund on Aamir Khan's advice, Bachchan would be hoping to reap similar success with the Manjule film.