Superstar Salman Khan’s Eid blockbuster hit cinemas today and the first reactions have been less than stellar. While projections have it earning INR300 crore in India, most reviewers have panned the film as Salman’s worst in recent years, and the actor has come in for a lot of flak.
Before we dive into the reviews, it will help to know the plot of the movie. Without giving away too many spoilers, Tubelight is a film set during the 1962 Sino-India War. The film is about Laxman Singh Bisht (Salman) whose brother Bharat (Sohail) has gone across the border to fight. A remake of the 2015 WWII drama Hollywood Little Boy, the movie shows Laxman’s journey to find his missing brother amid the fog of war. Listed below are excerpts from some of the reviews of Tubelight:
NDTV: Salman Khan Is The Worst Thing About Tubelight
“Tubelight means well, an anti-war movie that illustrates the pointlessness of battle and the importance of not actively hating those you are at war with, and while its simplistic message is timely and admirable, the film is rendered unwatchable because of the leading man.” – Raja Sen
Indian Express: Salman Khan film flickers a lot, offers little glow
“The effort, on Salman’s part, to come off slow-witted, shows in every frame. It’s all feels constructed, and on the surface, with no nuance. Instead of Hindi Chini bhai bhai, it is more like Hindi Chini, bye bye.” – Shubhra Gupta
Times of India: Salman keeps the faith alive
“The film that propagates the values of family, faith and patriotism doesn’t manage to take a complete leap of faith because somewhere someone couldn't pull this one off convincingly. In fact, everything is so cloyingly sweet that you start feeling you’ve strolled into a sermon rather than a Salman movie.” – Meena Iyer
“Tubelight is one of those films that shamelessly attempt to emotionally manipulate viewers into being sentimental wrecks. Watch this film if you love Salman enough to ignore the flaws.” – Manjusha Radhakrishnan
Deccan Chronicle: Flickered and gradually fused
“The worst part of the film is its weak plot and sloppy execution. Tubelight is by far Kabir Khan's weakest film. Though the entire film is about brotherly bond, it hardly touches you.” – Rohit Bhatnagar