Photo: Collected
Four and a half decades ago, Ashok Ghosh, the famous producer and director of commercial cinema, produced 'Toofan'. On Ahmed Zaman Chowdhury's screenplay Actors like Shabana, Wasim, Mahmud Koli, Suchrita acted. With commercial masala that movie contain a unique story. The song titled 'O Dariya Pani, Tor Motlab Jani' in the movie is equally popular even today.
With the same name ' Toofan', today's popular director Raihan Rafi produced another movie. In this, Rafi has presented Shakib Khan before audience with new character, who built a career with the help of Sohanur Rahman Sohan, Badiul Alam Khokon, FI Manik, Shaheen Sumon.
This changed structure started again in the movie 'Rajneeti' by the hand of Bulbul Biswas. However, as the release of the movie was delayed, Shakib Khan showed a glimpse of change in Nawab, Shikari. In that sequence, Shakib appeared in the movie 'Toofan' but in an irresponsible robotic character.
The movie dominated the theaters single-handedly after a lot of controversies and there is no denying, the audience was hooked right from the moment of release. But unusually, the theaters are packed with younger people than family audiences. Surprisingly, the movie was watched by under-eighteens with great enthusiasm.
In Dhaka, Narayanganj, Mymensingh, Rangpur many Mafswal Halls were seen crowded with people of this age. It may have done business in theaters; but a deeply negative message has also spread. This age audience is the notorious teenage gang of the society. The Prime Minister himself and the Inspector General of Police believe in the zero tolerance policy regarding the class.
There are at least 237 juvenile gangs across the country. Shakib Khan's irresponsible, irrational robotic character seems to have been portrayed as an idol to these teenage gangs. And the one-eyed policy of the Censor Board for this movie, which has been cleared without any restrictions, has clearly prevented the manifestation of discrimination against others in the industry. Waiting to see, in the future Censor Board moves to any policy for others?
Toofan' was not even close to the melody dependence of Bengali cinema. Double Meaning's two songs (Lage Uradhura, Dustu Kokil) have gone viral. But the makers may have forgotten that the story of the movie also needs melody songs, which will capture the audience's voice for a long time. Viral songs don't last forever.
The director may not have expected to take Bengali cinema far; instead, he took the strategy of getting down in time. If this is the case in this trip, he will definitely get a letter mark. However, information obtained from theaters across the country shows that there is no repeat audience.
The producer can refute this claim by showing the confusion of one-time viewers. Movies live is on repeat viewers - if this faith is not strong, the filmmakers will fly like a rag. Many have flown in the industry over the past decade, eschewing repeat audiences and melodies. Rafi also seems to have followed that path. Maybe he wanted to show the story of this movie in the atmosphere of Poran or Surongo. But this maker has forgotten himself.
In Poran, the beautiful melody along with the story line take the movie to a different height, which was not the case with 'Toofan'. This is what happens when you suffer from excessive complacency.
An attempt has been made to match the story to some Indian movies. This is not the first such attempt, many people like Delwar Jahan Jhantu, Dewan Nazrul, Malek Afsari have done it in the past.
As a new follower of that path, Raihan Rafi of 'Poran' has written his name. But in doing so he chose contemporary Indian cinema. Which is why it can be said that it is a 'remix' of some movies. He only wants to use the market value of Shakib Khan. Even if the corporate power is successful in this journey, its future is not bright. Still, Rafi-Shakib should be grateful to the audience to see that the audience is going nuts.
There is no denying that Shakib Khan's performance in 'Toofan' is brilliant. However, in the recent past, he could not surpass 'Priyotoma'. The reason for not being able to do this is the lack of totalism in the story. Any irresponsible characterization of the state and society. The weakness of dialogue is conventional. What the audience has seen in the thunderous weapon, has subsided in the dialogue. More practice was needed in this area. The counter dialogue in particular is irritating.
Indian actress Mimi was taken in this film to increase the market. In this case the maker was successful. Inspite of being successful the maker could not get a better performance from her. Nabila lost her character in some scenes while doing well. The scene of the heavy weapon in the hands of the stormy Shakib Khan's right-hand man Gazi Rakayet is like a rental.
Just as Rafi has been successful in creating his own story in some movies, the editing work is difficult after the story is captured on camera! At this place, the editor introduced Munshiana. Even if the background music could not leave the originality, the audience enjoyed it.
Toofan is not a dialogue based movie. It has a lot of visual impact. Gazi Rakayet's story-telling was brilliantly delivered. Actor Misha Saudagar acted in only three scenes. He does not seem to have been seen in any movie in the last twenty years in such a small number of scenes. But his presence in the movie did not add any extra spice instead, there was an opportunity to give him more space.
Suman Anwar's appearance as an urban don in a cameo role delighted the audience but the dialogue delivery was poor. Although they are overshadowed by acting skills.
Toofan' puts the preferred political party in power. It is incomprehensible how a gunman can put a political party in power. It goes without saying that the government will be embarrassed by such a message.
On the other hand, the heart of the movie is the simple young man who is calm. Acting is his meditation. He tried hard for a small presence on the screen. The context is based on ninties. Shakib has done an extraordinary job in presenting the simple life without internet. The construction of the story in the small scenes of these places has made the total story strong. After many ups and downs, the story takes a turn from this place. Another chapter of Shanto begins.
This chapters in which the Toofan is seen as an integral part. Shakib Khan played the role of Shanto and Toofan in the film. Powerful actor Chanchal Chowdhury appeared on the screen instead of twisting the movie. Although the trick of not showing Chanchal together with Shakib anywhere except for a tight close-up in the last scene is answered by Rafi in a wonderful way in the last scene. That's why the audience is excited about 'Toofan 2'.
Here Chanchal acted as AC Akram. In the last scene, police officer Chanchal Chowdhury kills the doctors and nurses one after another and it is understood that 'Toofan is not dead.
Masuma Rahman Nabila as a costume designer, Gausul Alam Shaon as a fight director and Gazi Rakayet as Toofan's close aide. Apart from this, Shahiduzzaman Salim as the godfather of the village. The actor showed his acting skills in the second scene even though he was confused in the first scene. As a political leader, Fazlur Rahman Babu has done justice to his name as always. Misha Saudagar as Kusti Bashir and Salahuddin Lovelu acted in this film.
Russell Mahmud and Sharif Uddin have written the chorus part of the popular song 'Lage Uradhura' from the movie Toofan. The tune of which is taken from Razzak Dewan's 'Ghum Bhangai Gelare Morar Kokile'. Composed by Pritam Haasan and sung by Pritam and Debashree Antara. Toofan's title track is penned by Tahsin Shubo and sung by Arif and Joy. The song titled 'Aasbe Amar Din' is written by Rabiul Islam Jiban. Arafat Mohsin, Naved Parvez and Pritam Hasan were involved in the music direction of the song.
The two-hour and 25-minute movie 'Toofan' is produced by Shahriar Shakeel on behalf of Alfa Ai. Its story is written by Raihan Rafi and Adnan Adeeb Khan. Adnan Adib Khan has written the screenplay along with the story. Tahsin Rahman was in the filming. Needless to say, editing as well as photography, sound and color correction give Bengali cinema a look ahead. Similarly, it should be kept in mind that the first part of Toofan is inciting the youth gang.
writer : Senior Journalist and Film Critic
Messenger/Mumu
