Bangladeshi superstar Shakib Khan is the protagonist of Bengali film Toofan, now running in theatres. t2 caught up with the actor for a conversation on the film, its impact, his Calcutta faves and more.

Toofan has received a fabulous response from movie lovers in Bangladesh and you too must be flooded with appreciation from fans. What is the best compliment you have received so far?

Since last year, I have started to consciously try and give something new to my fans. The role I portrayed in Toofan is very different from anything I have done earlier in my career. It belongs to a completely different genre and has a totally different look from my other movies. I am happy that in this film, my fans have loved my look both as a romantic hero and as a tough, gun-wielding action hero. And the best compliment is when audiences have come out of the theatres, especially in foreign countries, going ‘wow’ and gushing with praise at my performance, which they have declared to be at par with the performances in big-budget Hollywood or Bollywood films. I think that excitement is the biggest reward for Bengali cinema.

The two characters you portrayed are very different from each other. How did you work on the mannerisms of the two characters?

These days, I have cut down on the number of films I do in a year. I take time to select my projects and accept a film only when I feel emotionally attached to it. I think deeply about each film and each role and strive for perfection in every moment, every dialogue and every gesture in every scene.

For this film, my two characters were very different and I did not get as much time as I would have liked to have got, to prepare myself. So I thought about the particular scene and got myself into the mode of the character as demanded by the situation in the scene. Besides, we spent some months doing workshops on the two characterisations with my director and writer before shooting began, touching upon all important scenes, moments and dialogues. We also worked on the attire of each character, their body language, attitude and the overall look-and-feel, to help me understand and get into the skin of the character.

What is your favourite action scene from the film and why?

I love every bit of this film. It is very difficult for me to point out a favourite scene. What is more important is the audience’s reactions to Toofan as a film of the action genre. I can tell you what my fans loved, though the favourite scene varies from person to person. Some liked the dramatic, one-take action scene, some liked the last scene, some liked Toofan’s introduction, for some, their favourite scene was my performance in the Dushtu kokil song.

It has been suggested that the staging of some scenes has similarities with the Bolly film Animal, and so is your look. Your thoughts…

Well, Animal itself is influenced by a Hollywood film. But, if you talk about similarities, you have to remember that Toofan is about a mafia lord of the ’90s. And Animal is also based in a similar period. So there are bound to be similarities in the style, look and dress of the characters. But that does not mean that one is a copy of the other. The protagonists in Animal and KGF had the same sort of looks and hairstyles, which suited the respective characters. But each film is unique in its way. Toofan also has its own identity and USP. Those who have commented about similarities after seeing the trailer or the teaser, have changed their mind after seeing the actual film, as the plot of Toofan has nothing in common with Animal.

On a different note, how are you enjoying the vibe of Calcutta?

Whenever I am in the city for work, I feel at home. To me, Calcutta and Dhaka have a lot in common. And just as I love everything about Dhaka, I also love everything about Calcutta. I have enjoyed shooting in the New Market area, by the ghats of the Ganga and even in Bolpur. I think I can connect well with the people here.

What about its cinema?

I would prefer not to distinguish between the cinema of Calcutta and Dhaka anymore. I would instead say that we all make Bengali films and we have to achieve global glory together.

Are you a foodie? What do you make sure to eat whenever you are in the city?

Oh yes. I love the muri-makha (puffed rice tossed with spices and condiments) in Calcutta and I must have it whenever I am here. I visit the bhelpuri and masala muri shops by the roadside and dig into them while sitting in the car. Other than that, though I usually avoid red meat, I loved the mutton kasha and basanti pulao that I had this time in Calcutta.