Tubelight movie review LIVE: You'll miss Salman Khan's comic timing in this emotional film

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Initial box office reports for Tubelight’s opening day in UAE are in

The first box office reports for Tubelight from the UAE, where it released on Thursday, 22 June, and as a Forbes article puts it: they’re ‘ positively glowing ’. 

_Tubelight’_s Day One box office collection in the UAE s estimated to be around Rs 6.6 crore. It is projected to earn around Rs 20 crore there within the next three days. 

If it does meet the projected three-day earnings, Tubelight would fall just a little short of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’s box office collections for the same duration, from April 2017.

For those who are just joining us, and missed our LIVE review of Tubelight yesterday, here’s a quick recap. 

Tubelight is the story of Laxman (Salman Khan) and Bharat (Sohail Khan). 

[One wonders if there is a reference to the Ramayana here — Salman’s character is definitely a ‘Lakshman’ in his devotion to his brother.]

They’re orphans who’ve only had each other to rely on, ever since the death of their parents. 

They survive all the vagaries of the world together — until a war comes calling. 

As the battle between India and China boils over at the border in 1962, Bharat enlists in the Army, and sets off for the battlefront. 

When he goes missing, Laxman must set off to find his brother. 

Tubelight has a cameo by Shah Rukh Khan, and also stars Chinese actress Zhu Zhu and child artiste Matin Ray Tangu.

Early reports coming in for Tubelight. 

Lot of Salman Khans making the critics’ job quite redundant. 

However, there seems to be a lot of disappointment within Salman fans too about the film. 

Could it be because he hasn’t played a typical macho, heroic character in the film?

Lots of updates coming in of afternoon shows being houseful.

Here’s what Twitterati is saying about the film 

Watch LIVE reactions from Gaiety Galaxy in Bandra east!

The mood here at Gaiety Galaxy during the second show of Salman Khan’s Tubelight is somewhat mixed. 

Hoots and claps greet the scene where Shah Rukh and Salman Khan share the frame. 

While most of the audience watched keenly, the first walk-out took place about 45 minutes into _Tubelight’_s run-time. As the family moved out of the theatre, I heard the lady saying some not-so-good things about the film. 

A disappointed set of people stand in the corridors of Gaiety Galaxy and there are already some comments about how the film will not cross the 1,000-crore mark. 

However, Salman more or less manages to have the audience rooting for him in Tubelight. While there’s this indistinct chatter that persists through the first half (people aren’t as glued to the screen at the start) loud applause and laughter fills the movie hall as the second half continues

The audience is as baffled as the people of Kumaron village (where _Tubelight’_s story is set). The second half sways between reality and belief and it requires some mental adjustments on the part of the viewer. 

When ‘Radio’ plays in the hall, the hoots don’t stop. There are whistles and claps from the audience.

It doesn’t surpass earlier reactions however. The audience is still seated. Bhai’s films otherwise see folks get up and dance by the screen.

Overheard in the aisle: “Kya bakwas picture hai."

Tubelight is going to be one of Salman’s widest releases. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh breaks down the numbers: 

Gaiety Galaxy is always ‘ground zero’ when it comes to Salman Khan’s films, and Tubelight is no different. 

We set off to find out what the mood was like among Salman’s fans before the Tubelight FDFS. 

Here’s a look:

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A screening of Tubelight was held late on Thursday night for a few celebrities. Among those spotted were Shah Rukh Khan, Iulia Vantur, Kabir Khan with Mini Mathur, Shruti Seth, Ishan Khattar et al. 

Our correspondents Swetha Ramakrishnan and Mridula Ramadugu watched Tubelight FDFS. Here they are, discussing the film: 

Here’s another video, released by the Tubelight team, of the adorable Matin Rey Tangu: 

We’re back in the Tubelight screening. The film is almost ending, and it packs a solid twist right then. 

The ending is a bit ‘filmi’, but works in the context of Tubelight’s positioning. It’s an emotional ending.  

There are few films made on brothers, and it’s rarely the main theme. In Tubelight, it is the main draw. 

Tubelight is a bit cliched, and a tad too emotional but it works. This is how we’re doing commercial films differently now. Respect is paid to plot, authenticity, performance and plot. We’re no longer seeing needless action, needless objectification, and Salman takes his emoting seriously.      

Does Kabir Khan bring out the best in Salman? Unequivocally, yes.

And one more. Do tell us your thoughts! 

Here’s a quick opinion poll for you: 

Monday to be crucial in establishing Tubelight’s box office business

Tubelight has opened in theatres across the world on 23 June, with the UAE release happening a day earlier. 

While trade analysts are furiously computing the possible collections for the Salman-starrer (with a consensus on a figure close to Rs 20-20 crore), it is Monday that will prove to be the real crucial test for Tubelight’s box office report. 

Some reports have said that Ramadan would likely mean a dull opening for Tubelight over Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but the public holiday on Eid on Monday, is when footfalls to the theatres are expected to pick up.

Shah Rukh Khan’s cameo scene in Tubelight leaked

Shah Rukh Khan’s cameo in Tubelight was one of the most anticipated sequences connected with the film. While his role was heavily guarded, his scene from the film has now been leaked on social media. 

The night before the film’s release in India, the short video clip already began doing the rounds of Twitter being shared and re-tweeted several times over. 

The video clip, which seems to have been shot by a viewer in a movie theatre on a cameraphone (Tubelight released a day earlier than India in the UAE, on Thursday, 22 June), shows SRk as a magician who puts up a show in Laxman’s (Salman) hometown. 

The magician enthralls the children with his tricks and then asks for a volunteer to step forward — finally choosing Laxman. 

It is not clear if the Tubelight team will be able to get the clip taken off Twitter.

We’re back in the Tubelight screening post-interval, and what we get is many more of the ’lessons’ the first half also reveled in sending our way. 

We see how Salman (Laxman) overcomes his fear, how he befriends Matin and Zhu Zhu’s characters.

What we miss is that comic timing that’s signature Salman. His deadpan face really helps comic scenes, and there are far too few of those in Tubelight.

Also, the flm seems to have been afflicted by the curse of the second half. After spending considerable time in the first half, establishing the naive, childlike nature of Laxman, more time and screen space is dedicated to the exact same thing in the second.

We get it. He’s innocent. His simplistic ways change how people look at things and he does bring out the futility of war. But there’s so much more the film could have done. It seems to be stretching the point now.                        

Zhu Zhu is a natural though. She doesn’t seem out of place or awkward with a language she doesn’t understand.

And here is Salman’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan co-star Harshaali Malhotra at a screening of Tubelight:

This video of Matin Ray Tangu’s audition for Tubelight is doing the rounds of social media, and the little tyke is as adorable in it, as he is in the film! 

Still no clarity on Tubelight’s Pakistan release

Meanwhile, confusion continues around Tubelight’s release in Pakistan. The film was initially meant to have an Eid release across the border — as in India and other parts of the world.

However, just a couple of weeks before its scheduled release date, there were reports that its Pakistan theatrical run would not take place as expected.

Differing reasons were offered for this: Pakistani films also releasing during Eid wanting to avoid competition from Tubelight, the Salman starrer’s rights being priced too high, and the sensitive subject matter (India-China War of 1962). 

Now, trade analyst Taran Adarsh has confirmed that an Eid release seems unlikely for Tubelight in Pakistan. At the time of publishing this update, no date has been declared for Tubelight’s Pakistan release. 

I also met Pankaj, a salesperson, who confessed — “Im not the biggest Salman Khan fan”.

However, he seemed to appreciate Salman’s Tubelight performance. “I thought he would overact (in the film) but he hasn’t. There’s an actual story and plot, and Salman plays the part. Good on Kabir Khan!”

We’re at the intermission of Tubelight’s FDFS at PVR Phoenix, and the audience seems to be loving Salman’s act thus far. 

Here’s what Mamta, a teacher, had to say: 

“Salman is amazing. Just so different. We are so used to him doing action or romance in his films. This is very new.”

There’s a fun scene where Salman innocently asks Matin to say ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ to prove to everyone that he’s Indian. Matin asks him to say it first, he does and then he screams it louder than Salman and says, ‘I’ve said it louder than you, I’m more Indian than you.’

Subtle, but drives the message home.

The other relevant message the film has is on racism. 

Both Zhu Zhu and Matin play Northeasterners. Salman (Laxman) thinks they’re Chinese and tries to fight them, but eventually realises they’re Indian too.

Zhu and Matin (playing brother and sister) come to Laxman’s town to escape the same prejudice they face elsewhere because of how they look.                        

Tubelight may be set in 1962, but the message is incredibly important today.

Back to the Tubelight screening once again: 

‘Yakeen’ or faith seems to be the biggest trope of the film. Laxman’s faith that his brother will come back alive. Faith that all will be well. Faith that no matter what your setbacks, mental or physical, that everyone has something special going for them.

Social media seemed abuzz with reactions to Tubelight:

Here’s a round-up of reactions from Twitter. 

And here is a look at Shah Rukh Khan’s entry on screen, which the audience is applauding. 

The tone of the film has changed now — from sad to magical.

Back to the theatre: 

I have to say, Sohail Khan is doing a pretty good job in the movie. The Khan brothers look authentic as men from the hills, and refreshingly — neither is trying to hide their age, for once. 

Of course, the simpleton act is a bit overdone for both Salman and Sohail. 

Salman’s body language especially gives away that he’s trying too hard; it’s very stiff — although the range of expressions he’s conveying is noteworthy. He’s quite emotive in Tubelight thus far. 

What doesn’t add up is the physicality of both men — as simple men of the hills, Laxman and Bharat are a little too beefed up, and bulky!

Here’s a quick look at the numbers Tubelight, and Salman, will be hoping to match. Will its strategic four-day opening weekend (taking into account the public holiday for Eid on Monday, 26 June) help it achieve them?

Highest-ever opening day collection for an Indian film: Rs 100 crore for Baahubali 2.
Highest-ever opening day collection   for a Hindi film: Rs 44 crore for Happy New Year.
Salman’s highest-ever opening day collection: Rs 40.35 crore for Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo.

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Highest domestic collection   for a Hindi-language film: Rs 387+ crore for Dangal (Hindi dubbed film:   Rs 501 crore   for Baahubali 2)
Highest domestic collection for a Salman film: Rs 320.48 crore for Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

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Highest overseas collection for a Hindi/Indian film: Rs 1,441 crore for Dangal.
Highest overseas collection   for a Salman film: Rs 193+ crore for Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

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Highest overall collections for a Hindi/Indian film: Rs 1,930 crore for Dangal.
Highest overall collections for a Salman film: Rs 626 core for Bajrangi Bhaijaan.

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Overall box office collections of last five Salman Khan releases:
1. Sultan (2016): Rs 584 crore; 2. Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo (2015): Rs 432 crore; 3. Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015): Rs 626 crore; 4. Kick (2014): Rs 352 crore; 5. Jai Ho (2014):   Rs 200 crore   (approximate).