"One of the most frustrating romantic dramas"
Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor’s much-anticipated film Aabeer Gulaal finally saw its global release on September 12, 2025.
However, the response so far has been largely underwhelming.
The movie was barred from release in India due to the Pahalgam attack, and it hasn’t been released in Pakistan yet.
This has left the international audiences as the first to judge its merits.
Unfortunately for the star duo, many viewers are voicing their disappointment on social media and film forums.
Several early reactions described the film as tedious and uninspiring, with one user writing that Aabeer Gulaal was “painful to sit through.”
One commented: “Fawad Khan appears to be sleepwalking through this mess.”
Another viewer bluntly labelled it a “badly directed B movie” where the story was messy, and the humour fell flat.
Some viewers even claimed that the soundtrack could not salvage the dullness.
Despite the widespread criticism, some did attempt to highlight positives, pointing out that Vaani Kapoor managed to light up the screen.
Others acknowledged that a couple of songs stood out, but insisted the overall narrative was incoherent.
A fan review noted that the film occasionally offered “cute moments.”
However, it ultimately failed to deliver the depth and consistency expected of a high-profile romantic drama.
BBC Asian Network’s Haroon Rashid, who reviewed the film after its release, echoed many of the online criticisms.
He called it “one of the most frustrating romantic dramas” he had endured in years, criticising the weak storyline, poor direction, and technical flaws.
According to Rashid, the film looked “cheap and incoherent”.
The journalist said that it failed to take advantage of Fawad Khan’s natural charisma and Kapoor’s screen presence.
He pointed to careless post-production, especially the lack of proper colour grading.
It left the film visually flat and lifeless compared to polished Bollywood productions.
Rashid further criticised the uneven development of the two central characters.
He observed that Abeer could not decide whether he loved or disliked Gulaal.
Meanwhile, Gulaal herself shifted erratically from aspiring chef to wannabe dancer without excelling at either pursuit.
This inconsistency, he argued, prevented audiences from investing emotionally in the romance.
Not all reactions were negative, however, as a handful of devoted Fawad Khan fans praised his enduring charm and said they enjoyed the film.
Some even called it a wholesome comfort watch and compared its vibe to Love Guru, though they conceded it lacked finesse.
Overall, the verdict on Aabeer Gulaal leans strongly toward disappointment.
While Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor remain celebrated stars, many feel this particular outing squandered their talent on a weak.
For a film expected to showcase glamour and romance, audiences were left instead debating whether it was worth their time at all.
Loading ...