Tubelight (2017)

I watched Tubelight on the first day of its release, 23rd of June 2017. Although I was late for almost thirty minutes after the movie started, I still can feel the message and purity conveyed by Kabir Khan in his latest effort.

Before I went to the cinema for Tubelight, I managed to read some early reviews from social media and Google and what I found was quite unbelievable. Many of them said that the movie will be a flop, Salman’s magical performance in Bajrangi Bhaijaan didn’t reoccur, Tubelight is worse than Raabta (!), Salman’s emotion only made audience laugh, and much more negative reviews.

On the first day, Tubelight collected 21 crore. One of the lowest collection raked by Salman on Eid release.

But that couldn’t stop me from watching my idol, and mounting hopes that all those reviews are fake, at all cost.

I started watching Tubelight only when Gogo Pasha (Shahrukh Khan) trying to convince Laxman (Salman Khan) to put believe and faith so that he can move the bottle nearer to him. And he did. (Some reviews also stated that the word ‘yakeen’ repeated for so many times until it become a joke instead of a message).

The film rolls on. Until the end when the song Main Agar reprised version sang by KK was onscreen, I (honestly) admitted that I cried two times at the part when Bharat (Sohail Khan) was told dead by the regiment leader, and another time when Laxman tried to restore Bharat’s spirit after he traumatized. The emotion was too sad. Sorrowful. For me, Salman’s face sometimes look funny, but if you really watch the movie with your heart, you’ll left the cinema with eyes full of tears.

For me Tubelight is a masterpiece from heart by Kabir, Salman and Sohail. And what’s conveyed from heart will reach the others’ heart. That’s what happened to me when I fall into tears. It knocked my heart’s door slowly, but the message stand tall. Om Puri’s presence helps a lot in his last appearance (he’s dead by now). His quote, “Agar insaan ke dil mein yakeen ho, to wo chattaan bhi hi la sakta hai,” will be preciously remembered for years.

I think maybe Nawazuddin’s absence in Tubelight was the actual different-maker of getting bad reviews, as he shone in Bajrangi Bhaijaan before. Yes the film rested on a thin plot but still, succeeded to leave a strong message of believe and faith to the audience, well at least me.

“If you gave faith, one can move mountains,”

Tubelight. I rate it nine out of ten. Not because I idolized Salman or his stardom, but because I spent my tears watching the movie. The only movie that’d made me cried before was one and only, Mann.

9/10.