Zubaan

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. It is the kind that takes a while to brew. Its story about a young man harbouring a big dream is hardly novel. Director-writer Mozez Singh laces the build-up with mystery, but it eventually is just a mirage. It culminates into a climax that is hardly suspenseful. But by the last scene, something about the film manages to pierce your soul.

It is presumably the palpability Vicky gets on screen. His natural stammer, the way his face lights up when he meets his idol, his desperation to prove himself and mostly the despair on his face when he is pushed into self-doubt is earnest. Manish matches it with his prowess over the art. He is minimal with the words and majestic with his expressions. The rest of the cast never come close to these two in terms of performances.

The musical is high on drama. Juxtaposed with the track of a father-son duo who is struggling to acknowledge each other, is the one of a son who is fighting ghosts from the past with the help of his Babaji's music. The only track that doesn't work here is Dilsher's love story with Amira (Sarah-Jane Dias), which is jarring. They have zero chemistry and the film could have done without the romantic element.

When the plot fumbles, production takes over. Swapnil Sonawane's camera-work is worthy applauding. The production quality is far superior than most movies of recent times.

Zubaan might test your patience but it is heartbreaking in parts. Luckily, the melodrama is kept at bay even when the protagonist finds himself divided between materialism and mirth.

Zubaan is a hidden gem among all the secondary Hindi film releases.

The film has much more depth than the plot summary on IMDb would lead you to believe. Maybe this is why I didn't have high expectations, but it turned out to be a good film: the storyline is different, the music is great, the acting is good, and - above all- the settings are exquisitely chosen and decorated.

Dilsher's transformation in life is beautifully narrated in a coherent and engaging way.

I'd give Zubaan a solid 7-star rating.

A mix of old and new world in this coming of age movie of a small town boy striving to make it big. In the end, it seems the culmination is a bit rushed - my only gripe. Special mention for the beautiful artistic visualisations during stage performances, and a remembrance spree.

This movie did all to gain the popularity from last year's heart-warming script and performances of Masaan. But the hurry-ness in showing a surge of emotions didn't allow the script to speak for itself. This can also be summarized in a way if we say that plot itself was weak. It's a decently made film, but some looseness in every direction catches the sheen away. It had many different plot lines and hence the story line itself was confused as in how and where to align all these blocks.

Vicky Kaushal's innocence rules again throughout. He acted his disability in a very natural way. Although it was not a great performance but certainly was a decent one. Sarah Jane Dias was a big let down. I had lots of expectations from her, especially after Angry Indian Goddesses. I had started thinking that she's underrated in this industry. She has to put some real efforts to gain any amount of popularity now. Manish Chaudhary as a businessman was wonderful. As always his visual appeal and body language was perfect.

Mozez Singh debut looked more a copy of a well-directed movie of this type. He didn't really do full justice to get all the pieces together. May be he needs a good mentor and some training if he has to produce a good directorial piece.

The background musical score is very dramatic which would've worked if the script seemed strong. But as with everything else, the looseness throttled the glaze here as well.

Overall, a weak plot and a loose execution that throttled the whole grace.

Watching this movie is to embark on an epic journey of self-discovery, power, and success in the riveting new film, "Zubann." Directed by Mozez Singh, "Zubann" is the epic story of one man's journey as he seeks his purpose and discovers himself through a spiritual awakening with the help of music.

Captivated by the talented performance of newcomer actor, Vicky Kaushal, the audience transcends on a journey of loss, tragedy, and triumph. We find ourselves rooting for the lead character, to find peace, to find happiness, and to continually fight for what he wants. Actor Kaushal debuts a leading performance, dynamically charged and emotionally strong. It's hard not to get lost in Kaushal's innocence.

Hauteoc Traveler is proud to give "Zubann" Five Stars! A film not to be missed; "Zubann" is a powerful and heart-warming picture sure to captive and inspire all to find their passion and ultimately to seek what they are destined for.