Paresh Rawal joins Farhan Akhtar on Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Toofan

Actor Paresh Rawal steps up as Farhan Akhtar's boxing coach in the upcoming sports drama, Toofan (2020), directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. This marks the first time that Mehra will be working with Rawal; he and Akhtar previously collaborated on the National Award-winning film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013).

“Every director has a bucket list of actors and Paresh bhai was on the top of mine,” Mehra told the daily tabloid Mumbai Mirror. Unlike Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Toofan will feature a fictional character from a script written by Anjum Rajabali.

Akhtar, who is also co-producer on Toofan with his banner Excel Entertainment, welcomed the veteran actor on the project.

Akhtar has been training with former world kickboxing champion, Drew Neal, for his role as he will be going up against real boxers in the sports drama. The film is expected to begin shooting by the end of August.

Toofan is due to be released sometime in 2020.