Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's
Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Mrunal Thakur and Paresh Rawal
Rating: 1/5
Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's latest magnum opus Toofaan is an unappealing mess that ends up being a full-fledged nightmare for Farhan Akhtar fans. It revolves around a street rowdy's rise in the boxing world while touching upon the challenges faced by him in his personal and professional life. On paper, the sports drama has all the commercial elements--right from romance to the mentor angle-- that one would expect from a Bollywood masala entertainer. The plot, however, never really even touches its potential as nothing, just nothing works.
Also Read | 'Sky is Pink' to 'Rock On !': 5 Farhan Akhtar movies to watch before 'Toofaan'
Unimpressive screenplay
Broadly speaking, a sports drama can leave an impact only if the trials and tribulations of the protagonist are fleshed out properly. Sultan, starring Salman Khan, is a case in point. It rose above its flaws as the writers gave the audience relatable protagonists while highlighting their struggles in a compact yet engaging way. Just everything --right from the hero in-ring adventures to his romantic relationship with his 'Baby'-- felt relatable at one level or the other.
Sadly, this just doesn't happen in the trainwreck called Toofaan as the writing is as rushed as can be. Most of the characters come across as caricatures, which make it difficult for one to comprehend or frankly even bother about the reel action. The scenes focussing on the hero's first bout and his rise to stardom, which should have major moments in the narrative, fail to register. The romantic sequences are another disappointment as there's virtually no chemistry between the lead pair.
Lacks a punch
R Madhavan's Saala Khadoos is regarded as one of Bollywood's finer boxing dramas as it managed to highlight the in-ring psychology associated with the sport. Toofaan does not do so as the bouts have been treated as superficially as possible. In fact, the treatment is as underwhelming as the one meted out to some of the reel badminton matches in the box office dud Saina.
Farhan deserved better
Farhan made an impact in films such as Rock On and Dil Dhadakne Do as he was able to internalise the characters reasonably well. Toofaan doesn't really give him the opportunity to go in that direction, which makes his performance lacklustre. Mrunal Thakur is strictly okay in a poorly-written role. Paresh Rawal tries to salvage the film with his sincere act but fails as his character's back story has not been explored properly. He certainly deserved better.
The rest of the cast serves its purpose.
Final thoughts
The music is forgettable as the soundtrack does not feature any memorable numbers. This, in particular, is disappointing as Farhan's films have always featured a few hummable tunes. Rock On, which marked his acting debut, is a case in point. The background score feels generic. The other technical aspects are up to the mark.