Movie name: Toofaan
Occupation: Farhan Akhtar, Paresh Rawal
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Farhan Akhtar set the bar high with their first collaboration, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), in which the former’s aptitude for storytelling and the latter’s efforts to transform himself into an athlete turned into a classic sports drama were combined. But fans who hope the duo will surpass themselves in Toofaan will be disappointed.
Toofaan begins with a brazen, brave Aziz (Farhan) who beats up other thugs in his area. He is an orphan raised by a local gangster. After the brawl, he ends up at a local charity hospital, where he meets Dr. Ananya (Mrunal Thakur) scores. Aziz discovers boxing while visiting a local gym and is immediately captivated by the videos of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.
The boxing virus has grabbed Aziz, but he needs to find the right trainer. Enter Nana Prabhu (Paresh Rawal), Mumbai’s best trainer who is also a Hanuman bhakt and a staunch Hindu. At first, Nana dismisses Aziz, mistaking him for a troublemaker, but soon changes his mind after seeing his devotion. Under Nana’s guidance, Aziz quickly climbs the ladder and reaches the Nationals, but love gets in his way. What follows is an unfortunate incident that changed Aziz’s life forever.
Toofaan starts on promising note but soon becomes disjointed and absent-minded. The writers Anjum Rajabali and Vijay Maurya try to cover too many topics in this 2 hour and 47 minute long film. Aside from being a sports drama, Toofaan comments on the Hindu-Muslim debate and the interreligious relationship. But these scenes are so enforced that they derail the whole movie and leave a bad taste in it. Toofaan also has a song for every mood, almost six of them, which certainly adds to the length of the film, but little else.
This madness has no method. The creators add several elements but don’t stay true to their characters and their main theme – boxing. They don’t spend time exploring these characters and so the audience doesn’t bond with them. We see Aziz sweating in the ring, but there is no talk of his technique to become a good boxer. The dialogues in the film are also monotonous and do not arouse any emotions.
Toofaan is somewhat redeemed by his laudable actors. Paresh Rawal remains true to his character as a strict, stubborn trainer Nana Prabhu. Mrunal Thakur is seen as an honest doctor and supportive partner.
But the only person carrying the whole film on his shoulders is Farhan Akhtar (also one of the producers). Farhan is the force behind this Toofaan. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Toofaan is a one-man show. From nailing boxing sequences to vulnerability in emotional scenes, Farhan stands steadfast throughout the film. As for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, for Toofaan too, Farhan is pushing the envelope and working hard to get an athlete’s body and it seems to have paid off. As a boxer, he looks effortless on screen. But Farhan’s efforts deserve better.
You can watch Toofaan on Amazon Prime Video.
2.5 out of 5
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