Formula-driven boxing movie is painfully long and doesn’t pack a punch
Starring: Farhan Akhtar, Mrunal Thakur, Paresh Rawal, Vijay Raaz, Sonali Kulkarni Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
A MUSLIM orphan raised in the underbelly of a big city grows up to become a tough gangster with a skill for fighting. He is then inspired by a kind-hearted doctor to becomes a champion boxer and starts to turn his life around. Things get complicated when he is prevented from marrying the Hindu woman he loves, and soon outside forces start to conspire against the bright sporting talent.
Most boxing movies across the years have followed the same formula and this film is no different. From the exercise montages to rising from nothing, coming back from defeat and a motivational trainer, this Amazon Prime release has everything you expect. Everything the film offers up from performances, fight scenes, exercise routines to the storyline have been done before in a much better way. Even a cross-religious angle isn’t enough to add any kind of originality into this story.
Lead star Farhan Akhtar and director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra are unable to recapture the magic of their award-winning sport biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag with this overly long film.
The normally reliable trio of Shankar Ehsaan Loy deliver poor music, which becomes a distraction instead of adding anything meaningful to Toofaan. There is some problematic messaging, a cliché presentation of boxing, and terrific talent Supriya Pathak Kapur is largely wasted.
On the positive side, the fight scenes are fairly convincing, and Farhan Akhtar puts in a spirted effort. There is also a compelling performance from rapidly rising star Mrunal Thakur and the cinematography is outstanding. But ultimately, fans of sports dramas won’t find anything new to entertain them in this painfully long film.
This decidedly average formula driven effort doesn’t pack a punch.