Zubaan Reviews by Critics

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Zubaan Review by Bollywood Hungama

Rating: ★★★☆☆

The film has an extremely tight and engaging screenplay (Sumit Roy, Mozez Singh). Mozez Singh, who makes his directorial debut with ZUBAAN is definitely a name to watch out for. The ease with which he packages and delivers a sensitive film like ZUBAAN is simply exceptional. The hard work that he has put in as a director in ZUBAAN yields him rich dividends in the film. The film just does not look like being directed by a debutant director. The best part about his direction is that, places wherein any director could have either gone astray or over-the-top, Mozez Singh maintains his pace. All of this contributes in making the film a memorable affair to watch. The second half is not as watertight as the flawless first half, because, the film dips in second half… only to pick up pace again towards climax. The film also has many noteworthy scenes. For example, the conflict between protagonist and family (wife and son) has been shot really well. As for the performances, the film rests majorly on the shoulders of its lead cast Vicky Kaushal and Sarah Jane Dias. ZUBAAN, which happens to be Vicky Kaushal’s second film (his debut being MASAAN), also sees him grow superlatively as an actor and also leaps and bounds to become the scene stealer of the film. On the other hand, Sarah Jane Dias, besides looking good, has also contributed immensely towards the film. Her performance in this film will definitely go down as one of her most memorable performances. The other actors too bring in top notch performances in the film, which helps the film’s progress in a smooth manner minus any guffaws.

Zubaan Review by Mohar Basu on The Times Of India

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Zubaan has a feeble story which doesn’t do justice to its technical finesse. It is hardly appealing in the first hour but with solid performers like Vicky Kaushal and Manish Chaudhari, the film soars over its runtime.

Zubaan Review by Jaidev Hemmady on Movietalkies

Rating: ★½☆☆☆

Vicky Kaushal has done a commendable job and so has the rest of the cast comprising Chaudhary, Malik, Chanana and Dias. But despite this, the story lacks conviction and a soul, as a result of which, Zubaan doesn’t really touch you. Had the makers focused on a single plot point, the movie would have been at least acceptable, if not likeable.

Zubaan Review by Saibal Chatterjee on NDTVMovies

Rating: ★★½☆☆

Zubaan stretches itself too thin at times in trying to raise its narrative tempo. In its quieter moments, however, it does manage to get its voice heard. Watch it for the latter bits – and for Vicky Kaushal.

Zubaan Review by Saumil Gandhi on Mumbai Mirror

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Zubaan is a film that does a lot of posing and posturing, but lacks focus to be taken as a serious narrative. It has a voice somewhere in the deeply spiritual roots it lays claim to. Sadly, it is drowned in too much noise for us to make any sense of it.

Review by Manisha Lakhe on Nowrunning

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

The music that intrudes in the story is so amazing, that you tend to coast with the tunes, forgetting your beef with the story. Some shots are breathtaking, others make you wonder if it was the same team that made you sigh in pleasure not moments before. I like films made about urban unease, and that sense of loss and disconnect, but here it just seems shallow. And that’s why the film seems to be pretty but unbelievable. Also the subtitles disappear after the first few minutes, so all that Punjabi (even though Bollywood songs have taught the common folk much) may escape comprehension. You come away with mixed feelings even though you really loved the idea of ‘tumhari zubaan kuch keh rahi hai…’.

Review by Rohit Vats on Hindustan Times

Rating: ★★★½☆

There’s no denying that Zubaan fits the frame of most of the rags to riches stories, but these frames have been shot with a lot of thought. The camera work of the song ‘Music is my art’ demonstrates the faultless use of a confined space. At the same time, the magical surrealism of open, vibrant spaces fire your imagination, and you start dreaming of a similar space. The song Dhruvtara is a perfect example of that.

Review by Tushar P Joshi on Bollywood Life

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Zubaan is a film made with a lot of love and it shows in every frame. Swapnil Sonawne’s camera work is stunning and lights up every scene as if it was a part of our lives. Mozez uses human emotions like suffering, loss, love, jealousy to make his characters interesting. You get drawn into Dilsher’s world because of Vicky Kaushal’s award worthy performance. He’s already shown promise with Masaan and now Zubaan only reinforces our faith in him as an actor to watch out for. The supporting cast too is exceptional. Sarah Jane Dias keeps it subtle not going over the top or getting screechy in the difficult scenes. Both Raaghav Chanana and Manish Chaudhry are able to make us cringe watching their difficult father-son relationship. The music of course is eclectic and different. There are beats from a 80?s Madonna song to a traditional Gurbani that become part of the films soundtrack. In fact the music is a pivotal aspect of Zubaan lending its characters a language when words fall short.

Review by Sarita A Tanwar on DNA India

Rating: ★★★☆☆

First time director Mozez Singh has chosen a simple story, which may not be a crowd pleaser but it’s a moving story that will connect with your soul. There’s a beautiful sentiment at its heart that you will discover for yourself. It a delicate and brilliantly told story of overcoming your insecurities and embracing your true path. What it lacks in terms of star power it makes up with a unique story by Mozez and Sumit Roy and great acting by Vicky Kaushal. His performance dominates the film whether he is cowering or being cocky. Manish Chaudhari provides brilliant support. The most touching part of the film is the father-son relationship, which is also the crux of the film, as you later realise. Zubaan is a visual treat thanks to Swapnil Sonawane.

Review by Shubhra Gupta on Indian Express

Rating: ★★½☆☆

The core of it is in the way Kaushal and Chaudhari manouever around each other, testing each other, and when the director keeps it grounded, it comes off real and strong. But then everything gets filmi and wispy. The writing is patchy, with Kaushal not coming off as striking as he was in ‘Masaan’ : he’s good yes, he makes us watch, yes, but is already familiar. And the climactic passage is too stretched. Singh clearly has a voice, though, and a talent for creating twisty drama. Pity the plot dips and the tone shifts, which results in the film speaking in parts, and being muzzled in the rest. But the music is lovely: in many places, I listened more than I looked.

Review by Raja Sen on Rediff

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

The whole film emerges, sadly, like one of those ads where you can half-hum the song but you forget what it was for. Look, Zubaan isn’t a bad film. It is decently made and reasonably well acted, especially by Manish Chaudhari who conquers the screen in his swaggering role of a boorish businessman. Kaushal is immensely earnest, and Raaghav Chanana brings some nuance to his part of the insecure son — whenever the script allows him. Perhaps we ought to take a cue from the strikingly-haired French hip-hop dancers who pat the hero and heroine on their shoulders when they finally do kiss, and treat this boring little film with what it demands most: indulgence.

Review by Asira Tarannum on Deccan Chronicle

Rating: ★★★☆☆

The first half is crisp and the story moves smoothly, but during the second half the story moves a bit too fast leaving the audience confused. The direction is good but the editing is not up to the mark. Hats off to producer Guneet Monga for backing another unconventional subject where the boy makes a mistake and realises his true calling and reiterating the fact that we all have to move out of our comfort zones to find our true calling.

Review by Suhani Singh on India Today

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Even if you are to buy into the opposites attract theory, Singh fails to convince as to what makes Amira and Dilsher click. Far more engaging are Kaushal and Chaudhary who combine well together to present the fascinating protégé-mentor relationship. Here, we see Dilsher’s hunger to succeed such as when he beats up his rival just so that he can get to work with Sikan, tries to impress the construction magnate by stealing a music CD and belittles Sikan’s son Surya (Raghav Chanana). These scenes tell more about Dilsher than his introspective but dull conversations with Amira. It doesn’t help that Singh is eager to focus on Dilsher’s redemption. And just like that Zubaan, like its hero, stumbles.

Review by Shomini Sen on IBNLive

Rating: ★★½☆☆

The film manages to engage you most of the time particularly because of its actors. Vicky Kaushal, who made a remarkable debut in ‘Masaan’, gives a strong performance yet again. It is on his shoulder that the film lies. And he delivers. From being the under confident young boy from Punjab to becoming self assured confident right-hand man of a real-estate baron- Kaushal’s transition on screen is remarkably smooth and natural. Supporting cast Manish Chaudhary, Raghav Chanana also play their part well and do justice to their characters. Wish Sarah Jane-Dias’s character was more defined. She plays Amira, a popular singer, who has her own conflicts to fight. But she is also the person who encourages Dilsher to pursue music. While we know her character’s importance to the Dilsher’s story – it somehow doesn’t come out that clearly in the film. Why do they fall in love? How does she inspire him to take up music again? Those things remain sketchy.

Review by Shubha Shetty Saha on Mid-Day India

Rating: ★★½☆☆

The film holds a lot of promise but doesn’t really live up to it. A more clear-minded script as well as a steadier hand at direction would have done wonders to this film. However, Singh scores as he makes soul stirring music (composed by Ashutosh Phatak) an intrinsic part of the film. However, standing above the film and the script is Kaushal’s absolutely brilliant performance. The young actor, who impressed us with his debut performance in Neeraj Ghaywan’s Masaan (2015), is at admirable ease in front of the camera and while slipping into the role of the traumatised, stammering Dilsher.

Review by Martin D’Souza on Glamsham

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Mozez had the script, brilliant music and super, way beyond performances, but he spoils the broth by trying to add too many ingredients all in one go. All through the first half, even though the plot is going all over, I try to stay interested mainly because the two characters of Dilsher (Vicky Kaushal) and Gurcharan Sikand (Manish Chaudhary) have me invested with their intensity and portrayal of their characters. Both are a study in brilliance. If only the clarity in the plot was taken care of, Mozez would have had a scorcher on his hand.

Review by Sonia Chopra on Sify

Rating: ★★½☆☆

Debut director Mozez Singh displays potential and gives us a film that has its moments, despite the weak areas. Zubaan, then, remains a film akin to a great story build-up, only to reveal a rather tepid finale.

Zubaan Review by Indiaglitz

Rating: ★★★☆☆

The screenplay related to the family drama has been presented in an interesting and intriguing manner. The politics, treachery, secrets related to the family of Manish Choudhary, is one of the key elements of this movie. You will enjoy this part of the film and would love to see more of it. There are many good scenes which manages to keep you glued to the silver screen. The cinematography is good and goes with the flow of the film. Music is very essential part of this film and music director Ashutosh Pathak manages to give us some decent songs. ‘Tu Hain Tera Khuda’, ‘Druvtara’. ‘Kori Pukaar’ have been brilliantly choreographed followed by ‘Music is My Art’ which is the most popular song from the film. Director Mozez Singh’s last film ‘White Noise’ (2004), ended up as a disaster and in contrast to that ‘Zubaan’, is a great film to watch. One will love the whole intense family drama but might not connect to the musical and romantic part of the film. Vicky Kaushal gives one more good performance after ‘Masaan’. Sarah-Jane Dias looks glamorous. Manish Choudhary is powerful. Raaghav Chanana is superb in his role. Meghna Malik and others lend good support.

Review by Subhash K Jha on Bollyspice

Rating: ★★★★½

Besides an outstandingly contemplative performance by Vickey Kaushal, Zubaan gives us a brand new directorial talent Mozez Singh (again, is this really his first film?!). Mozez has a rare ability to create a drama of dissent in his plot without resorting to excessive melodrama. There are passages in Zubaan where we see the director’s vision of an individual held ransom by his ambitions. And we are shaken in a rejuvenating way. Zubaan is an exhilarating journey of self-discovery, and far far more accomplished work than this week’s other release Prakash Jha’s Jai Gangaajal.

Review by meeta on Wogma

Rating: ★★½☆☆

The only saving grace then are the performances. Vicky Kaushal performs as if he is carrying a very huge burden on his shoulders – that of carrying the film. It gets an eager and sincere act out of him, but the load is unnecessary. Each time I watch Manish Chaudhuri, he instills and reinforces in me a fear – this character can do just about anything. Raaghav Chanana too does well as the insecure son who wears a mask of strength. However, performances and gray characters aren’t enough to make Zubaan enticing. The story tries to do a little of everything. Therefore, every thing comes across as half-baked.

Average critic ratings of other movies released in 2016

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