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Junun

Junun

201554 minNot RatedMidcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Director
Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring
Shye Ben-Tzur, Ehtisham Khan Ajmeri, Gufran Ali, Shazib Ali

A documentary capturing the creation of the album Junun inside Rajasthan’s 15th-century Mehrangarh Fort. Paul Thomas Anderson follows Jonny Greenwood, Shye Ben Tzur, Nigel Godrich, and the Rajasthan Express as they record a cross-cultural fusion of Indian, Israeli, and Western music.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Junun?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Junun to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Junun?

Junun earns 5 badges, led by Standout soundtrack and Atmospheric.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Junun worth watching?

Junun's Midcredits score is the 88th percentile of all films, from 11K ratings across 6 sources. 75% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

88th percentile

Better received than 88% of films

72nd percentile among Documentary88th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)88th
Approval (how many liked it)85th

73 /100

88th percentile of all films

67th percentile among Documentary87th percentile among 2010s

Critics 78 · Audience 73

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.3 — solid but not unanimous.

75% liked it

85th percentile of all films

69th percentile among Documentary85th percentile among 2010s
75% rated it 7–1025% rated it 1–6

Critics 100% · Audience 79%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

64th percentile

11K ratings across platforms

87th percentile among Documentary67th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 62% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A minimalistic, observational music documentary focused on the recording process with virtually no narrative or dialogue.

Fans praised

  • immersive observation of collaborative music-making
  • vibrant capture of cultural and artistic energy
  • sparse narration lets the music speak for itself

What stands out

Sound and music92

exceptional, mesmerizing fusion

Atmosphere87

immersive, vibrant cultural setting

Originality82

unique fusion of traditions and raw style

Cinematography80

resourceful digital camerawork and drone shots

Emotional impact78

inspiring, joyful celebration of process

Pacing75

laid-back, allows music to breathe

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Junun like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you feeling good. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
JoyfulContemplative
Heaviest: throughout
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.
TonePTA observes the musicians with affectionate curiosity, letting their joy and dedication speak for themselves.
The rideThe mood is consistently light and absorbing — the focus is on the pleasure of watching music being born, with no dramatic swings.
StructureThe documentary follows the recording process in a series of loosely connected scenes without a conventional plot.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

The answer rests on this: Feel-goodRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you uplifted by the joy of cross-cultural musical collaboration and the beauty of the creative process.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeNo narrative arc; simply observes musicians recording an album in Rajasthan.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfArtIdeas
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% (this title) · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5% (this title): Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% (this title) · Technology 1%

Ideas

Art · 4% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Tradition vs change · 2% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on the act of musical creation and the fusion of diverse cultural and religious traditions into a collaborative work.
StanceThe film takes a purely observational posture toward the creative process, letting the music speak for itself without commentary.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalDomesticWildernessRealistic
FolkOrchestral classicalElectronicForeground music · original score
SettingMehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan — a historic fortress where musicians gather to record an album
MusicThe film documents the recording of the album 'Junun' by Shye Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, and the Rajasthan Express, with the music itself as the central subject.

Cast and crew

Who is in Junun?

Cast

Shye Ben-Tzur
as Self - Guitar, Flute, Vocals, Composer
Ehtisham Khan Ajmeri
as Self - Dholak
Gufran Ali
as Self - Qawwali Chorus
Shazib Ali
as Self - Qawwali Chorus
Sabir Bamami
as Self - Horns
Aamir Bhiyani
as Self - Trumpet
Soheb Bhiyani
as Self - Horms
Ajaj Damami
as Self - Horns
Nigel Godrich
as Self
Jonny Greenwood
as Self - Guitar & Ondes Martenot

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Junun?

Movies like Junun include Sound City (2013), Stop Making Sense (1984) and Buena Vista Social Club (1999). Of the 5 closest matches, all are music documentaries, and most are films about community.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 5 share its subject: art. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Junun?

2.9K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: music documentary. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.