Boxing and cinema have a long relationship that goes all the way back to 1894. In Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Toofaan, Farhan Akhtar plays a gangster in search of redemption who turns to the boxing ring. The film, which stars Akhtar, Paresh Rawal and Mrunal Thakur, is set to be released on Amazon Prime on 16 July.
Aziz Ali aka Ajju Bhai is an up-and-coming goon in the locality of Dongri. After falling for a doctor played by Thakur, he discovers that all his life he has been craving respect. Inspired by love, he attempts to punch his way out of the streets. With the help of coach Nana Prabhu (Paresh Rawal), he reaches new heights only to fall at the final hurdle and get banned for five years.
When the ban is lifted, he is faced with a choice: To rise again as a boxer, or to accept his fate.
Sharp, rousing and filled with training montages that inspire you to hit the gym, Toofaan has a lot going for it. The trailer, though, does reveal quite a lot of the story. The montages are backed by some impressive musical scores by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. However, the storyline feels far too familiar. Despite this, given Mehra's recent record with Akhtar in Bhag Milkha Bhag (2013), Toofan promises to be an interesting project.
Check out the trailer below, and let us know if you are keen on watching the film.