‘We wait for Pushpa 2, support Bengali films too’

In Bangladesh, Shakib Khan is currently the biggest star, much like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan in India. His latest Bengali film ‘Toofan’, co-starring Mimi Chakraborty, has been a massive hit, breaking box office records and prompting extra screenings in the neighbouring country. As the film releases in India, particularly in Bengal, Shakib Khan urges all Bengalis to support their local cinema.

“We have 30 to 40 crore Bengalis worldwide. Why should our Bengali industry lag behind? ‘Toofan’ is also breaking records in UAE and other countries. The successful collaboration between India and Bangladesh in ‘Toofan’ reaffirms that the Bengali film industry is moving forward,” said the ‘King of Dhallywood’ during his visit to Kolkata on Thursday.

According to Shakib, there’s no distinction between commercial and meaningful cinema. He said that audiences today want to watch good films with powerful stories, which ‘Toofan’, directed by Raihan Rafi, delivers. “We watch films like ‘Jawan’ and patiently wait for ‘Pushpa 2’ and ‘Baahubali 2’. So, why shouldn’t Bengali commercial films command the same attention? Without commercial films, reaching the Rs 1,000 crore club would be impossible,” said Shakib, who called Mimi a ‘superstar’ at the press meet.

Meanwhile, Mimi, who is making her debut in a Bangladeshi project with ‘Toofan’, is on cloud nine having received so much love for her two songs - ‘Ura Dhura’ and ‘Dustu Kokil’. She said that it was producer Mahendra Soni who convinced her to do ‘Toofan’. “I didn’t even hear the script. I just asked if there were any dance numbers and now, I’m thrilled to be part of ‘Toofan’. Working on my first Bangladeshi film alongside Shakib Khan, who is the biggest star in Bangladesh, has been a great experience,” she said.