Toofan Review; Is Farhan Akhtar’s Toofan another sports gem from Bollywood?
by Susweta Bose | Tue, 20 Jul 2021 17:09:20 GMT

Last seen two years ago in a movie, Farhan Akhtar is back with a bang with his film Toofan. The Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra directed movie stars, Farhan Akhtar and Mrunal Thakur. Farhan is seen playing the role of boxer Aziz Ali in the movie while Mrunal Thakur plays his wife, Ananya. The film also includes Paresh Rawal as Narayan Prabhu, who plays the boxing coach in the film.

The movie shows the transition of Aziz Ali from being a hoodlum in Mumbai to be an acknowledged boxer nationwide. Due to changes in circumstances, Aziz has to leave boxing, but he is motivated by his wife Ananya to keep pursuing his dream, and the movie is about the same journey.

When you see the trailer, you may feel that the trailer gives out the whole plot of this movie, but this is not the case with Toofan. Although the basic plot is exactly what the trailer shows you, the movie is much more than the tip to the iceberg shown in the trailer. The movie keeps you hooked with the plot twists and splendid performances by the actors.

The movie follows a linear plotline, and there is no attempt to show different timelines at once. The screenplay of the movie is excellent and keeps you hooked at all times. You may feel the plot to be repetitive as other movies like Sultan are also about a sportsman who retires and then returns to his game. But Toofan is much more than this basic plot and features a beautiful and authentic portrayal of the sport.

The boxing sequences in the movie are amazingly choreographed, and throughout the movie Farhan makes you forget that he is an actor and not a boxer. Farhan's physical transformations deserve to be complimented as he needed to play the role of a beefed-up boxer and a commoner in the movie. The actor plays a medium heavyweight boxer in the movie, and his physique is very similar to professional medium heavyweight boxers.

The acting of Paresh Rawal as Narayan Prabhu is also commendable as he has nailed the role of a grumpy yet caring coach in the movie. Portrayed as a Muslim Hater, you are compelled to hate the character, but your heart melts when he supports Aziz Ali during his tough times.

The direction of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is magical throughout the movie, and he has managed to recreate the magic of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag in this movie again. You are made to forget that you are watching a staged boxing act where actors play their parts. You instead start connecting with the characters, and this is the power of Mehra's direction.

The film also talks about the critical issues of religious separation in society through a sequence where the couple struggles to find a home. The Muslim dense housing society asks Ananya to change her name, while the Hindu dense housing society asks Aziz Ali to hide his identity. The couple gives a strong message of religious harmony by denying both the offers in the movie.

Toofan is a fresh breeze of cinema if you are a fan of movies from the sports genre. You get to witness real boxing and struggles faced by boxers in real life, and the film keeps you hooked throughout. The performances in the movie are commendable, and you will surely appreciate the movie after watching it. We keep Toofan in the category of a must-watch.

RELATED ARTICLES