8 years ago, Farhan Akhtar and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra collaborated on ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ (2013), an inspiring sports biopic on Milkha Singh. The film was loved and it ended up collecting more than Rs.100 crore, which was a huge feat. Farhan’s next films, however, didn’t work well, except ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ (2015). Also, he slowed down and didn’t sign too many films. However, now he’s back with a film that reunites him with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. And once again, it’s a sports film but a fictional one. Titled ‘Toofaan’, it releases tomorrow on Amazon Prime.
Besides Farhan Akhtar, ‘Toofaan’ also stars Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Supriya Pathak Kapur, Hussain Dalal, Mohan Agashe and Darshan Kumaar. It tells the story of a man from the lower strata of society trying to create a mark in the field of boxing. The trailer looks interesting. Farhan especially seems to be in top form and that he has gone all out to look convincing as a boxer. It’s also a pleasure to see Paresh Rawal after a while on screen.
However, the film faces several challenges. The hype is minimal and moreover, it reminds one of ‘Sultan’ (2016) and few other sports films. The film is 2 hours 40 minutes long and one hopes it doesn’t turn boring or dragging.
‘Toofaan’ was all set to release in cinemas in April or May 2021. Hence, the team of the film had obtained a censor certificate way back in February. But due to the deadly second wave of Covid-19, they decided to postpone at first and then release it directly on Amazon Prime. The team of the film are trying their best to promote the film like a normal theatrical release. They are giving several interviews and they even went on reality shows to promote. Yet, the buzz is not strong. However, the film is sure to get views as there has been a dearth of releases. And since it stars a reputed actor like Farhan Akhtar, many viewers are bound to see it. Hence, a decent viewership is expected. How people react to it will determine whether it manages to get record-breaking views in the long run.
