Embrace Farhan Akhtar’s unstoppable spirit and witness a whirl of power-packed punches with the &pictures premiere of Toofaan on 30^th January at 5 pm.

Celebrating the unstoppable spirit with a slice of life, Mrunal Thakur opens up about Toofaan, working with the power-duo Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Farhan Akhtar and the positive reinforcement in her life.

• What caught your eye about Toofaan?

As an artist, I have never left a single opportunity to enhance my performance and have always been hungry for challenging roles. When Toofaan came along, I read the script and I was immediately sold with the idea. The fact that it is such a wholesome yet powerful story that highlights the might of love is what caught my attention. Toofaan is more than just a sports drama film. It’s about love, about honesty and loyalty, and how it can bring out the best in you.

• You play a very crucial role in the film, what were your notes on your character?

I still remember the brief I got from Rakeysh sir, he said Ananya is a person who lives to see people smile and eventually spreads her vibrant aura to Aziz and becomes a catalyst for him to meet his true potential. I felt at home with Ananya, I think we are too similar so tapping into her turf took only a few notes and more of an instinct. Aziz and Ananya share an amazing, inspiring chemistry that I wanted the audience to connect with. I cannot emphasize enough how grateful I feel to have done this film.

• How was your experience joining the power-duo Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Farhan Akhtar?

To be honest, it was surreal to share the set with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Farhan Akhtar. Working with Rakeysh sir has always been a dream of mine, with Toofaan not only it come true, but it also levitated me as an actor. It was like going through a masterclass with the grandmaster himself. I learned new techniques and the importance of having a conversation about the scene before rolling and why it is so crucial.

And, Farhan, well it was a delight sharing the screen with him. His ability to own and live the role he takes up really inspired me. He goes all-in with it and that really helped me let go of all the inhibitions I had as a performer.

• Toofaan talks about how positive reinforcement has an impact on people, do you have someone like that in your life?

I grew up under the influence of some of the most powerful and fearless women who knew exactly what they wanted and never feared to try. It made me believe that I can achieve any heights that I choose to conquer. They were my constant supporters throughout my career, encouraging me to chase after the roles that were out of my comfort zone. Thus, I completely understood the impact Ananya was supposed to have on Aziz. I could channel all that belief, confidence into this role and make it look believable.

• Receiving good reviews about your performance, one film after the other, what’s next for you?

It is truly a very warm feeling to be recognized for all the hard work put in as an artist. It encourages me to be more diligent and determined to keep chasing good roles. The audience will see me opposite Siddharth Malhotra in the Thadam remake along with Abhimanyu Dassani in Aankh Micholi.

Do not miss Toofaan on &pictures.