TOOFAN (Zanjeer Telugu) Film Review

Toofan (Telugu)

Well any comparison to the original cult classic with be will be obvious but we’ll try to step out of the zone and take an objective look.

The dangling horse-hanging bracelet has given way to the tattoo as a moniker for revenge. Vijay Khanna insomniac stretches of a hood-wearing horse-mounted bête noire dream are punctuated throughout the narrative. Coming to the plot ACP Vijay Khanna (Ram Charan) high-handedness lands him in more transfer than any other honest cop. So he hops. And the last leap is from Hyderabad to Mumbai. His fault – takes head-on a menacing ruling politician. His next transfer is to Mumbai.

Enter Mala (Priyanka Chopra) with a foot-thumping number followed by shots-guzzling introduction - She is a USA returned, here in India to attend her friend’s wedding. Mala is the sole witness to a brutal murder of a government official. ACP Vijay has the task cut out to nab the culprit, while his sleepless nights give us clue to the main plot.  

Sher Khan (Sreehari) pitches in with his convincing act and buddy to ACP after the initial face off.

Enter Teja (Prakash Raj) the kingpin in the oil mafia enterprise. Sauvé and nattily dressed who live in a gigantic, magnificently designed luxury mansion with his gun moll played by Mahi Gill. Teja is less menacing and more of laughter-inducing don with playboy mystique. The humor is softer and not over-the-top.

Mumbai’s shady and dark landscape has been created atmospherically perfect and the action, nice and tight especially, the scene where ACP drives down the uphill blowing up hovels. The Ganesh pooja celebrations and the Muharram scenes (stock films) are mixed with the action scenes perfectly.  While you enjoy the action fest, sense dawns on us if the plot squandered itself amid the narrative bloat.

Ram Charan’s act of angst ridden angry young man needs appreciation with good acting sparks. Priyanka Chopra is impressive despite the limited role. Prakash Raj’s part goofy, part menacing act just past the muster. 

Don’t think the music will entice you to tap toes. As for the dialogue, it certainly is in sync with the dramatic bombardment. Few smartly written lines draws chuckle. 

Apoorva Lahkia’s attempt to deliver a unique vision with remake of a classic goes amiss somewhere. Hard to figure out where. Because audiences would love to discover new appreciations on classics.