Kabir Khan & Salman Khan are a combo to reckon with. Their first collaboration was the Smash Hit Ek Tha Tiger & was followed by an All-Time Blockbuster with Bajrangi Bhaijaan. Expectations from their latest effort 'Tubelight' are expectedly gargantuan. But sadly, 'Tubelight' fails to deliver.
Reason? 'Tubelight' stands on a faulty script, that despite noble intentions, never takes flight. This tale of two torn-brothers aims to be an affecting tale on brotherhood & love, but what is eventually served here, is a bland film, that never hits the point.
'Tubelight' Synopsis: Laxman (Salman), a man-child simpleton, believes his faith will bring back his brother Bharat (Sohail Khan), who gets lost while in Battlefield in the Sino-Indian War.
'Tubelight' stands on a tiny plot & Writer-Director Kabir Khan gets stuck midway. Once Bharat leaves for war, the narrative just becomes stoic. And Laxman's relentless effort to bring back his brother with the power of 'faith' is overlong & tedious. Also, the sub-plot involving Laxman's relationship with a Chinese Family, of a mother & child, don't add much to the goings-on. To give its due, 'Tubelight' begins well & the camaraderie between real & reel life brothers offers genuine charm. But that doesn't last long. In short, 'Tubelight' doesn't make good use of its tiny plot & just goes on 136-minutes.
Kabir Khan's Writing is the weakest link here. Though his intentions are to deliver a noble message of love & peace, but the Writing isn't tight enough. Also, there are too many songs in the film & they only drag the film. Khan's Direction is alright. Aseem Mishra's Cinematography is fantastic. His work deserves all the credit, as 'Tubelight' is a visual delight. Editing needed to crisper. Pritam's Score is nice, but the songs don't appear useful in the film beyond a point. Art & Costume Design are decent.
Performance-Wise: Salman falls flat in his portrayal of Laxman. As a man-child driven by unshakable faith, the superstar tries to stretch the actor in him & even makes a sincere effort to justify the part, but his performance appears mechanical. Its sad that both Kabir & Salman aren't in form this time around. Sohail Khan gets little to do as Bharat, although his scenes with Salman are sweet. The Late/Great Om Puri shines in his final role as Salman & Sohail's mentor. The Legend grabs your attention in a supporting role. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub is perfectly mean as the bully. Matin Rey Tangu & Zhu Zhu lend able support. Yashpal Sharma is wasted. And Shahrukh Khan barely leaves a mark in a cameo.
On the whole, 'Tubelight' offers very little light! A Huge Disappointment!
