You know something's wrong with a film when you've figured out the whole story from a few minutes of trailer. For a film that runs over 160-odd minutes, more so.
Mainstream sports movies narrating underdog stories are always predictable in the way the narrative graph begins, peaks and ends, so you really wouldn't blame director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra if you figure out what's going to happen next. The trouble with Mehra's new film is it fails to give you the moments that might resonate. Despite bankable actors and a plot that promises drama in a fictional boxer's life, the film struggles to hold attention.
Anjum Rajabali's writing seems dated in the way the narrative tries to add an extra dimension to the film, blending in a subtext of faith and secularism with the overall boxing action. For Mehra and his on-screen hero Farhan Akhtar, mixing socio-politics with sports worked well in "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", where pop patriotism was the mantra used to score a winner. In "Toofaan", the generic story of a sportsperson's life is set against a backdrop of fundamentalism and orthodoxy.
"Toofaan" is now available to stream online on Amazon Prime Video Click Here. If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can watch the movie online for free till your membership expires. If you are not an Amazon Prime member, then you need to sign up for the services first.
Full Review Here: "Toofaan: Far From The Storm The Hype Promised"