Tubelight movie review roundup: Salman Khan in never seen before avatar will surely refresh your mood, say Bollywood critics

Salman Khan's Tubelight, which is set to open in theatres on Friday, June 23, has received rave reviews from Bollywood celebrities and critics.

The film narrates the love story of an Indian man (played by Salman) who falls in love with a Chinese woman, portrayed by Zhu Zhu, during the 1962 Indo-China war.

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While celebrities are heaping praises on Salman and the amazing storyline, a few critics say Salman has aced his role as an innocent, child-like character, fondly called Tubelight. Also, it is quite refreshing to see the otherwise macho man in a character he has never played before, said critics. Though the story is simple, it carries a great message. Given the film is set during the 1962 Indo-China war, the visual effects made it an interesting watch.

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On the contrary, a large section of critics found Salman a mis-fit in the role of an innocent character Laxman. Sohail has also performed quite well. However, it is the eight-year-old Matin Rey Tangu who steals the show everytime he is on screen. 

Tubelight is director Kabir Khan and Salman's third movie after Ek Tha Tiger and Bajrangi Bhaijaan. The film is expected to break a few more records at the domestic box office, thanks to its strong storyline. The fact that it is being released on the festive occasion of Eid is likely to boost the movie's collection.

Check out Bollywood critics reviews of Tubelight:

Imran Mohammad of First Post said: "The first thing to hit you as you watch the first few moments of Tubelight is how the atmosphere of the film is that of happiness. Let me tell you at the onset that this introduction is nothing like we've seen in Salman's earlier films. The whole vibe is different. Tubelight does have a great message: hope pulls us through in any situation we may find ourselves in. A worthwhile watch. A note about the visual effects: it's unlike what we've seen in Bollywood so far. The way the shots have been framed and conceptualised is interesting to see."

Shubhra Gupta of Indian Express said: "The message is perfect, especially apt for these manic times. The messenger is far from. 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.

The supporting cast is solid. It includes the late Om Puri, as a father-figure to the brothers, and Zeeshan Ayyub as a local hothead, among others. And Sohail reprises his familiar act as the caring 'bhai'."

Kunal Guha of Mumbai Mirror said: "Kabir Khan's official adaptation of Alejandro Gomez Monteverde's Little Boy stutters and staggers in retelling the story of a boy's deluded perception of war and his ability to end it. For one, the little boy in this film is our XXL-sized bhai who interprets his differently-abled character by clubbing pain and confusion in every expression — possibly a result of being forced into a sweater a few sizes smaller. While Little Boy demonstrated the fact that belief and conviction can move mountains, Tubelight features a baby-talking adult who's bedazzled by a pair of boots that he only calls "sooj"."

Meena Iyer of the Times of India said: "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. The war sequences are poorly mounted and evoke no emotion because the filmmaker hasn't invested in it either through evocative writing or mind-numbing montages."

Smrity Sharma of India.com said: "He (Salman) has clearly outdone himself when it comes to portraying someone who is going through an emotional turmoil. He is nothing like his earlier films and while some of his fans might be disappointed, some non-fans might just get converted. The film gets predictable at many crucial points, and even though there is a master twist in the second half, you know what to expect. Also, the director went a little OTT with the 'Yakeen' part. I won't be surprised to find memes about the same once the film hits screens. Watch it if you are a Salman Khan fan. Watch it if you aren't but want to see Salman Khan do some serious acting."

Raja Sen of NDTV said: "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. Kabir has always been good with war sequences, but while the ones in this film are mounted on an impressive scale and efficiently shot, the choreography is baffling.

Everyone besides Salman is good here, which is again a new thing to write about a star whose screen-presence and spontaneous charisma has carried him through many a horrid film. We get fine performances from bright Chinese actress Zhu Zhu and, most memorably, moon-faced child Matin Rey Tangu, who should have swiftly replaced the lead."

Stay tuned for more updates.