Shakib Khan, Raihan Rafi conjure up a ‘Toofan’

In a groundbreaking collaboration, three titans of the Bangla entertainment industry, SVF, Chorki and Alpha-i, are joining forces to produce "Toofan", starring Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan. Directed by Raihan Rafi, this colossal production marks the convergence of major film studios, renowned directorial talent, and the nation's popular actor.

The announcement of this cinematic extravaganza took place today during a press conference held at a five-star hotel in the capital. "Toofan" is poised to be a spectacle with all the elements of a blockbuster – a stellar cast, distinguished producers, a visionary director, and the widely recognised Shakib Khan in the lead role.

Raihan Rafi, who would be taking the director's chair for this latest production, expressed his enthusiasm for his role, stating, "I am very excited. Because Alpha, SVF, and Chorki - three big entities are coming together to produce two films simultaneously. This is my first film with Bangladesh's one and only superstar, Shakib Khan. When the three biggest production houses and the biggest superstar come together, there is a genuine hope for something significant with this film."

"We've just started the work. We seek everyone's prayers. However, I can confidently say that this film is going to be a milestone for Bengali cinema," the director added.

Shakib Khan, equally thrilled to be part of this ambitious venture, shared his thoughts on the collaboration, saying, "Our journey to the international film market has already begun, and this time the three giants of the film industry have collaborated to take it to another level."

He further said, "I believe that day is not too far when Bangali people sitting in the halls  abroad will say that—yes, this is our cinema, and making a Tk 100 crore-budgeted Bangla film will not be a big deal for the producers as well."

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Shahriar Shakil, managing director of Alpha-i Studios, emphasised the significance of this collaboration, stating, "It took us a lot of time to come to this phase. Although there has been confusion amongst many that it is a co-production, I assure you that it will be a completely Bangladeshi production, which will be marketed and distributed worldwide."

SVF Director & Co-Founder Mahendra Soni sees this collaboration as the beginning of a new era in Bengali cinema. He stated, "We are at the beginning of a new chapter in Bengali cinema as this collaboration is anticipated to redefine the scale of storytelling. This collaboration is ready to take Bengali cinema to unprecedented global heights. This will be a historic moment for all of us. Moreover, the major role that SVF will be playing here is SVF will be in charge to make it reach global audiences."

Redoan Rony, CEO of Chorki, added to the excitement, saying, "SVF, Chorki and Alpha-i have joined hands to captivate Bengali-speaking audiences and provide them with high-quality international content. During Covid-19, we were tense that cinema halls will not survive, as the number of audiences for OTT platforms had increased significantly. However, that notion had completely changed when we witnessed the audience's genuine interest in experiencing big screen entertainment. Moreover, the audience has a variety of choices and preferences, thus the audience for both media shall persist."

Hosted by Mousumi Mou, the press conference witnessed the presence of eminent author Anisul Hoque, representatives from Chorki and Alpha-i, along with journalists eager to witness the unveiling of this cinematic powerhouse.