Borbaad: A Benchmark of Template Filmmaking

We are familiar with terms like genre film and formula film. But what is a template film? If you've ever used the app Canva, you've seen the abundance of templates you can customize to create your desired design—where creativity takes a backseat and customization reigns supreme. However, if you customize with a touch of creativity, you might just rival Adobe designers. That’s what a template film is: a kind of formula film where minimal creativity is required. Now, let's see how Borbaad embraces this genre.

It's tough to sit through a film like this if you're neither a fan of Shakib Khan nor of template filmmaking. But if you view it through the lens it expects, it becomes more bearable. And that’s exactly what I did. For the first time, I walked out of a theatre with a positive reaction after watching a Shakib Khan movie. I recall my Toofan review on Letterboxd, where I wrote—“If you have an unused dustbin, then watch Toofan. You shouldn’t miss the chance to make your dustbin happy.” I wonder how this review arc came to be!

Borbaad is a fantasy tale of a lover who can do anything for the one he loves. And if you don’t mind ignoring cultural context or realism, the acts of violence won’t feel out of place. The film sets its tone and introduces its characters within the first two minutes—it foreshadows what’s to come over the next two hours. The way Aryan Mirza and Abid Mirza are introduced through their violent extremes, and how they ultimately end up—the arc is fascinating.

What’s more, the heroine isn’t just a Barbie doll here. I can’t remember the last time a so-called commercial movie gave its heroine such an impactful role. This heightens the conflict and makes you care for the protagonist—something Toofan failed to do. The film doesn’t glorify violence; it ends with the message that violence leads to destruction. Though it opens the door to a meaningful discourse—how many among the mass audience will pick up on that note? Let’s just stick to the theatre experience for now.

On the flip side, the screenwriter gave little attention to the antagonist. He’s built up, then disappears in two minutes! The writer forgot there’s more to the story after foreplay. Also, while the heroine’s role starts strong, it isn’t fully developed. The film ends in tragedy—it had a chance to connect us emotionally with both ends, but chose not to.

Still, Borbaad stands out. It doesn’t represent Bangladeshi culture, yet doesn’t feel like a typical Bangladeshi film either—and that deserves both appreciation and criticism.