The immense anticipation for Fawad Khan’s Bollywood return in the rom-com “Aabeer Gulaal” is ultimately met with disappointment. The film, already clouded by political controversy that limited its release, fails to deliver on its promise due to a weak script and poor execution. The story of Gulaal, a bride who abandons her engagement for a cooking competition, and her ensuing romance with celebrated chef Aabeer Singh, feels abrupt and choppy from the start. With a bloated runtime, patchy colour grading, and flat lighting, the film lacks the technical polish expected of a major production, making its two-and-a-half-hour length a true test of patience.
While the picturesque locations and an enjoyable soundtrack provide some respite, the narrative is further weighed down by unnecessary remakes of classic songs and forced nostalgic tributes. The core of any rom-com is the chemistry between its leads, and here the film faces its most significant challenge. Despite Fawad Khan’s effortlessly magnetic and charming performance, his spark with co-star Sanam Kapoor never truly ignites. Kapoor does her best with a generic, bubbly-heroine role, but the writing offers her no depth, leaving the audience uninvested in their love story.
Fawad Khan emerges as the film’s sole saving grace, a poignant reminder of the star power Bollywood has been missing. He slips back into the romantic-hero avatar with ease, commanding the screen in every frame he occupies. A single, magical scene where he flirts with Kapoor to the tune of “Kuch Na Kaho” encapsulates the brilliant film that could have been. However, one man’s charm cannot compensate for the surrounding flaws, including puzzlingly over-sexualized costumes for Kapoor and supporting characters that, with the exception of Parmeet Sethi and Farida Jalal, fail to make any impression.
In the end, “Aabeer Gulaal” is a classic case of a superstar outperforming his material. For devoted Fawad Khan fans, it offers a fleeting chance to witness his unparalleled charisma on the big screen once more. However, as a cinematic experience, it is inconsistent, overlong, and technically lackluster. Both Khan and his fans deserved a far sharper and more sophisticated vehicle for his grand return, leaving “Aabeer Gulaal” as a beautiful backdrop with a missing heart.
