The real star power in Taandob: Shakib or the story?

For decades, Bengali cinema seemed stuck in a rut, churning out predictable tales of star-crossed love between the rich and poor, or heroes striking it rich with a lottery win. These were often spiced up with hero-villain showdowns, fight scenes, and the inevitable song-and-dance numbers in flower gardens or by the seaside.

But now, Bengali cinema is finally breaking free from that tired formula. Shakib Khan's “Taandob” attempts to inject a political message into mainstream commercial cinema, marking a significant shift from the lovefest we were used to seeing.

Shakib is backed by a stellar ensemble cast, including Afzal Hossain, Shahiduzzaman Selim, Gazi Rakayet, Siam Ahmed, Afran Nisho, and Jaya Ahsan.

But in the end, the story outshines Shakib’s stardom, bringing yet another welcome change to the Bangladeshi film industry.

The film's expansive plot is its biggest surprise. While it starts at a leisurely pace, Taandob certainly concludes with a bang, living up to its name.

That said, there are moments where the plot does admittedly lose its way a little.

The film kicks off with a news anchor at “Bangla Nine” television station, reading out a rather mundane weather forecast, assuring viewers there's no risk of storms or rain. This understated opening sets the scene for Taandob.

In comes Swadhin, starting his rampage in full swing as his minions in monkey-faced masks surround the building.

The scenes are eerily derivative of those seen in blockbuster Bollywood movies, “Jawaan” and “Animal”, a trend noticed in Shakib’s last two movies as well.

However, the formula clearly works, pulling in the audience as it paints our hero in a truly “heroic” light, far removed from his typecast lover boy roles.

Once he finds a break from gunning down ministers on live TV, we are introduced to Swadhin's story.

Initially, the multiple plot threads: the frustrations of an unemployed man, Swadhin's romance with Nishat, and the father-son dynamic, all feel rather familiar and conventional.

Yet, within this orthodox Bengali cinema framework, director Raihan Rafi cleverly weaves in powerful messages about extrajudicial killings, wrongful arrests, enforced disappearances, and corruption, all conveyed through Swadhin's journey.

With his previous movies, Rafi has mastered the art of incorporating real-life issues in his creations, whether the bank robbery case in “Surongo” that reminded viewers of the weak security measures of Bangladeshi banks, or his portrayal of the everyday extra-marital affairs and subsequent killings in “Poran.”

But this time around, his storytelling felt unoriginal, as the second-hand tropes were evidently lifted from “Jawaan”. The recipe works for a fun action flick, but does nothing to defend Rafi’s creative integrity.

Amid the gripping action sequences, small-screen actress Sabila Nur, playing Nishat, truly stands out as the romantic interest. This marks her first collaboration with Shakib, and their on-screen chemistry is commendable.

The song 'Lichur Bagan' appears somewhat abruptly, with a rather weak link to the preceding scene. It serves as an explicit reminder of the unnecessary need to include an item song no matter what the storyline dictates, just to sell a few extra tickets.

However, the song's location and cinematography have been praised by viewers, overlooking its relevance to the plot.

Similarly, the SWAT team facing off against Shakib Khan feels rather fake, almost like he’s fighting mannequins. Their shootout scenes with Shakib lack any real drama.

Jaya Ahsan, in her role as journalist Saira, carries much of the film's first half alongside Shakib. She flaunts her time in the industry through a nuanced portrayal of courage, fear, hesitation, and helplessness of her character.

Afzal Hossain is dramatically funny, as Rafi attempts to draw in the audience by putting some popular social media phrases into his dialogue, another popular trend to make the movies more palatable to a younger audience.

To break the monotony of the television live segments, Rafi includes a scene featuring actor Iqbal Hossain performing with monkeys. During this act, some of his lines directed at the monkey cleverly align with the film's core theme.

The teasers and trailers already hinted at Shakib embracing a negative role in Taandob, with flashbacks revealing his past life on screen. However, there's not much of a difference in Shakib's two looks, despite an eight-year time skip.

Amidst all this, Siam Ahmed’s cameo comes as a pleasant surprise. Siam portrays the spoiled son of an influential figure. With his one-eyed look and compelling performance, Siam undoubtedly grabs viewers’ attention. Though his initial appearance is brief, limited to only two scenes, it hints at the powerful role his character will play later on.

Masud, known as “Surongo Masud”, makes another exhilarating entry. Played by Afran Nisho, his cameo is a nod to the director’s 2023 film, “Surongo”.

While it's common for Bengali films to feature multiple stars, it's less common for guest appearances to be given such meaty roles, whereas in Hindi or English cinema, guest characters often leave a lasting impression.

Rafi's decision to bring in both Siam and Nisho in key guest roles adds a new dimension to Bangladeshi cinema.

Afran Nisho’s presence in the final scene of Taandob strongly suggests that Rafi is building his own cinematic universe, connecting “Surongo”, “Toofan”, and Taandob. This scene also creates buzz for “Taandob 2”, as the film concludes with the announcement of a second instalment.

Other cast members, including Fazlur Rahman Babu, FS Nayeem, Sumon Anowar, and Tariq Anam Khan, have somewhat subdued roles. The screenplay for this two-hour and nine-minute film was penned by Rafi and Adnan Adib Khan.

Taandob, released on Jun 7, is currently showing in 132 cinemas across the country, with Star Cineplex hosting 28 shows.

Taandob is produced by SVF and Alpha-i Entertainment Limited, with OTT platform Chorki as co-producer, supported by Deepto TV.