Toofan is a 2024 Bangladeshi Bengali-language film directed by Raihan Rafi and produced by Shahriar Shakil under the banner of Alpha-i Studios Limited, SVF Entertainment and Chorki. The story of the film revolves around a gangster of Bangladesh in the nineties, featuring Shakib Khan along with Mimi Chakraborty, Masuma Rahman Nabila, and Chanchal Chowdhury.
It is the first collaboration between Khan, Rafi and Chowdhury. The film is marked Khan's 250th film. Toofan received mixed to positive with praise for Shakib Khan (Toofan)and Chanchal Chowdhury's performance, music, songs, action, visual style and technical aspects, though received criticism for its plot, pacing, lack of originialty and Shakib Khan's Performance (Shanto). It broke several box office records for a Bangladeshi film. With an approximate gross of ৳56 crore, it is the second highest grossing Bangladeshi film of all time, as well as highest grossing Bangladeshi film of 2024. Globally, it is the most widely released Bangladeshi film of all time, having been released in nearly twenty countries, as well as the first Bangladeshi film to have grossed over .
Plot In 1994, aspiring actor Shanto goes to FDC looking for a role in a movie but is dismissed. On the set, costume designer Julie mistakes Shanto for a background dancer and sends him to the dance floor. The movie's lead actor, Raj, becomes furious when he sees Shanto, who is taller and more handsome than him, and demands that the director removes Shanto from the set. Feeling guilty, Julie manages to get Shanto some minor roles as a background fighter.
Later, Raj gets into an altercation with some local goons. Julie tries to calm the situation, but the goons turn on her. Shanto steps in and fights them off, impressing the film's director, Rocky. Rocky sees potential in Shanto as a hero but can only secure him a role as a secondary villain in an upcoming film. The leading actress in the movie, Suchona, also takes notice. However, during the premiere, Shanto is humiliated when his scenes are cut, embarrassing him in front of his neighborhood. Despondent, he contemplates suicide, only to be taken hostage by Toofan's men.
It is revealed that Suchona had removed Shanto's scenes because of his resemblance to Toofan, a top terrorist and mafia kingpin, who also happens to be her lover. Toofan wants Shanto to impersonate him for a "movie." Shanto pleads for two months to learn how to emulate Toofan. Toofan's advisor and mentor, Jalaluddin, briefs Shanto on Toofan's history:
In 1961, in Alokdiya village, Toofan, born Galib Bin Ghani, loses his mother during childbirth. In 1974, his father, Ghani Miah, stands up against a local land raider named Shehnawaz, threatening legal action. In retaliation, Shehnawaz kills Ghani. A vengeful Galib decapitates Shehnawaz and is arrested. A local gangster, Bashir, sees potential in Galib and bribes the police to release him, taking Galib under his wing and giving him the nickname "Toofan," though he treats him like a servant.
In 1985, Toofan kills Bashir during a “friendly” wrestling match by snapping his neck and seizes control of his gang. He then sets his sights on expanding his criminal empire to the capital, Dhaka. At the same time, rival gangster Talat has similar ambitions. Toofan allies with Talat, pretending to be his right-hand man, only to poison him at their first meeting.
In 1990, Toofan's right-hand man, Jamshed, arranges a meeting with the leaders of the opposition party at a social gathering before the upcoming elections. However, they insult him, dismissing him as a village thug. Enraged, Toofan kills them all with a minigun, gaining nationwide notoriety. He later meets with a minor political faction, the "Janata Party," funding them while his men eliminate top political figures to remove competition. The Janata Party wins the election, securing the most seats.
At a club party, Toofan becomes infatuated with lead dancer Suchona. When a man tries to dance with her, Toofan shoots him dead. The victim, Sohan Choudhary, was a rising star of the 1990s, sparking a media scandal. Toofan forces Home Minister Ariffin to release a statement denying his existence. Growing reckless, Toofan expands his influence into various sectors, making him uncontrollable.
In the present, Shanto successfully imitates Toofan. To test him, Toofan sends Shanto to his bedroom to see if Suchona can tell the difference, but she fails to notice. Meanwhile, the president authorizes Home Minister Arifin to eliminate Toofan. Ariffin assigns Assistant Commissioner Akram and his team to track down Toofan. Akram, who has detailed information on Toofan, finds Jalaluddin and severely injures him. Upon hearing the news, Toofan rescues Jalaluddin but becomes furious when he learns that Jalaluddin had provided Akram with critical evidence and was set to testify against him, prompting Toofan to kill him.
Akram arrests many of Toofan's men, including Jamshed, and interrogates Suchona. The police issue a wanted poster of Toofan. Toofan, fearing capture, forces Suchona to call Akram and give him Shanto's address as his own while he escapes to Dubai. However, wanting to escape Toofan's control, Suchona provides Akram the true location of Toofan's car, leading Akram to kill Toofan, making national headlines.
Three days later, Akram questions why Suchona betrayed Toofan. She reveals that during Shanto's test, she accidentally informed him that Toofan only intended to use him as a body double, which led Shanto to beg for his life. Fearing Toofan's violent nature, she decided to act. Shanto eventually becomes a rising star.
In the post-credits scene, it is revealed that Akram did not actually kill Toofan, who is recovering in a hospital.
Cast
Shakib Khan in a dual role as Galib Bin Ghani Toofan, a mafia kingpin and top terrorist of Bangladesh Samriddha Pal as young Galib Shanto, an aspiring actor and Toofan's lookalike Mimi Chakraborty as Suchana, Toofan's partner and film actress Masuma Rahman Nabila as Julie, a costume designer and Shanto's girlfriend Chanchal Chowdhury as AC Akram, a CID officer tasked with eliminating Toofan Misha Sawdagor as Bashir, a local gangster Fazlur Rahman Babu as Arifin, member of the Janata Party and Home Minister of Bangladesh Shahiduzzaman Selim as Shahnawaz, a village land raider Gazi Rakayet as Jalaluddin, Toofan's foster father and advisor Sumon Anowar as Talat, a top gangster operating outside of Dhaka with ambitions to establish himself in the city. Loknath Dey as Jamshed, Toofan's right-hand man & advisor A.K. Azad Shetu as a member of intelligence under Akram Hasnat Ripon as a member of intelligence under Akram Bishwajit Ghosh as Sultan, one of Toofan's personal bodyguards Raj Basu as Suleiman, one of Toofan's personal bodyguards Salahuddin Lavlu as a member of the opposition party Rajat Ganguly Gousul Alam Shaon as Rocky, an "action" director Adnan Adib Khan as "Hero" Raj, a film actor with superiority complex Manav Sachdev as Sohan Choudhary, a famous film actor of the 1990s. Arijit Bhusan Bagchi as a member of the Janata Party Pritom Hasan as a cameo appearance in the song "Laage Ura Dhura" Raihan Rafi as a cameo appearance in the song "Laage Ura Dhura"
Production Pre-production In October 2022, after wrapping up the filming of Shakib Khan's Leader: Amie Bangladesh, director Raihan Rafi announced the making of a film titled Premik with Shakib Khan. The director then confirmed that the film's shooting would begin in December that year. Almost a year later in September 2023, Channel i confirmed that the film will not be produced due to unspecified reason. The newspaper also confirms that Chorki, Alpha-I and Shree Venkatesh Films has planned to co-produce a film jointly, slated for release on Eid al-Adha 2024. Initially it was reported in the media that Khan will be acting in a film titled Avineta directed by Raihan Rafi, later Channel i confirmed that the films is not titled Avineta but Toofan. Then on December 11, 2023, through a press conference in Dhaka, production companies Chorki, Alpha-i and SVF officially announced the name of the film as Toofan and Shakib Khan as the lead actor under the direction of Raihan Rafi, which is their first collaboration.
The pre-production work of the film began in the first week of January 2024. The film's director Raihan Rafi went to Chennai, India to select the shooting location in the same month. On April 13, 2024, Shakib Khan went to India to participate in the shooting of the film.
Development The construction of the set for the shooting of the film at Ramoji Film City began in the first week of January, where a total of 4 huge sets will be constructed with 100 people working daily. The director confirmed with Kaler Kantho that it would take around two months to make the 4 shooting sets. Rafi confirmed that the sets of this film were built by the same technician who built the sets of the South Indian film franchise Baahubali. A big budget of the film was spent on the set construction. It was reported that Bangladesh of the nineties will be highlighted in those sets. Cars, trains and even roads of the 90s can be seen in the film. Three major cities of the nineties of the country will be brought up in the film along with various events that happened there.
The screenplay for the film was written by Adnan Adib Khan, cinematography was done by Tahsin Rahman, art direction by Shihab Nurun Nabi, and costumes were designed by Farzana San.
Casting
Initially, Nusraat Faria was rumored to be the lead actress of the film. Later on Meril Cafe Live of Prothom Alo, she confirmed that she is not in the film. Later in February 2024, Samakal reported that alongside Indian actress Mimi Chakraborty, as well as Madhumita Sarcar's name was also rumored to be the female lead. However, the producer of the film denied it at the time. The film's production company Alpha-i Studios Ltd., SVF and Chorki revealed in a press release that the two actresses of the film is Mimi Chakraborty and Masuma Rahman Nabila. It is reported that both of them will be playing as the lead female roles, both of them will perform opposite Khan for the first time. There is another rumor that Indian actor Jisshu Sengupta will play the villainous character in the film, later, The Daily Star confirmed that he will be played as lead villain in the film. According to a report of Anandabazar Patrika, initially Bangladeshi actor Afran Nisho was reportedly offered the role of the villain in the film. But as he did not agree to do play the role, the makers later offered Sengupta. In late April 2024 Samakal reported that, it was rumored that Chanchal Chowdhury would be playing a guest role as the villain in the film. Later the same week, Chorki confirmed in a press release that Chanchal Chowdhury will play a special role in the film, which will be the first collaboration between Khan and Chowdhury. At the same time, prominent Bangladeshi actor Fazlur Rahman Babu was also signed for the film, which he confirmed to Jugantor. United News of Bangladesh also reported that Shahiduzzaman Selim, Gazi Rakayet, AK Azad Setu and Hasnat Ripon will cast some important characters in the film.
Characterization Shakib Khan played the role of a Bangladeshi gangster of nineties in the film.
Filming