Toofan: Shakib Khan and Mimi Chakraborty’s film sees high demand in advance ticket booking in Australia

For the first time, a Bengali film – Shakib Khan and Mimi Chakraborty’s Toofan, in Australia has achieved unprecedented advance sales, with over 2,000 tickets sold more than 10 days before its release. This surpasses the previous record held by Raihan Rafi’s Poran, which saw around 800 advance tickets sold. Rafi's latest film Toofan, which also features Chanchal Chowdhury and Nabila, has set a new benchmark at an unprecedented pace.

BongOz Films which presents Toofan in both Australia and New Zealand has decided to open the tickets for the second week. In a statement, they mentioned, “Given the overwhelming response, with almost all first-week shows sold out in Bengali-speaking theaters, tickets for the second week will soon be available on our website.” 

Enjoy 35+ OTTs like ZEE5, LionsgatePlay, Ullu, SunNXT, SonyLIV, Fancode and 250+ Live TV channels at just ₹99.  

Toofan, directed by the acclaimed Raihan Rafi along with three prominent production houses — Alpha-i, Chorki, and SVF features a stellar cast including megastar Shakib Khan, Chanchal Chowdhury, Mimi Chakraborty, and Masuma Rahman Nabila. The film tells the compelling story of a man from a small village, born a killer, who rises to power to become the biggest don.

Also read: Toofan: Mimi Chakraborty teams up with Shakib Khan, calls the collaboration ‘exhilarating’ 

Tanim Al Minarul Mannan, founder and CEO of BongOz Films, expressed his excitement. “Our passion for Bengali cinema remains unwavering, even after leaving our homeland. The tremendous success of Toofan inspires us to continue showcasing high-quality Bengali films here. Unlike many other languages that benefit from simultaneous releases, Toofan was limited to private screenings. Despite this, the organic appreciation and swift ticket sales are a testament to the film's quality, something not always seen in other language films. Ultimately, if a movie is good, Bangladeshi audiences will support it. Throughout our journey, we have never compromised on quality,” he said.

Also read: Toofan: Chanchal Chowdhury joins Shakib Khan and Mimi Chakraborty's film with a special role 

Australia has a robust Bengali population. “Since its inception in 2016, BongOz Films has screened 43 Bengali movies theatrically in Australia, establishing a regular presence for Bengali cinema in the region. This achievement underscores our commitment to promoting Bengali culture and cinema,’ said Tanim.  However, he also noted with both concern and hope, “Our second-generation diaspora, born or raised here, often finds it challenging to connect with Bengali movies.”

The narratives or emotions sometimes seem unfamiliar or exaggerated to them. For some, watching Bengali films is seen as a chore. Nevertheless, I believe that with the efforts of young filmmakers like Raihan Rafi, we can soon attract this generation to become regular viewers of Bengali cinema.