Toofan , the sports drama directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and starring Farhan Akhtar as a national level boxer, alongside Mrunal Thakur and Paresh Rawal in supporting roles, premiered on 16 July 2021 on Amazon Prime Video. This is the second collaboration between Farhan Akhtar and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra after Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Here are a few reasons to watch the film that looks like a biopic but isn’t one.
- For perhaps the firs time, you’ll watch Farhan Akhtar play a character that isn’t urbane and sauve. In Toofan, Farhan plays Aziz, a street fighter turned boxer mouthing a street-lingo.
2. Paresh Raval as the Hindu coach to his Muslim student plays his role to perfection. The scene of two men condoling each other and living a dream seen by the women they both love, is, particularly touching.
3. The film talks about expressing angst through a sport. Quite like Gully Boy did with music. While Gully Boy is a lived experience, this film, though looks like a biopic isn’t one. Todun Taak by Mumbai based rapper D’Evil aka Dhaval Parab is especially central to the film.
4. The heroine’s death scene where she is reduced to a number reminded me of Hazaar Chaurashir Maa written by Mahashveta Devi and directed by Govind Nihalani.
5. Mrunal Thakur epitomises the undying human spirit that always triumphs despite trials and tribulations. In fact there is a song dedicated to her character in the film.
Here’s a link of my interview with the star cast of Toofan!