Fawad Khan, Vaani Kapoor’s Aabeer Gulaal fails to impress critics, labelled as ‘frustrating viewing experience’

Fawad Khan, Vaani Kapoor’s Aabeer Gulaal premiered globally on September 12. Now, reviews by critics have surfaced on social media.

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor's Aabeer Gulaal had faced a setback after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. The romantic drama has now been released worldwide, excluding India. However, early reviews suggest the film has failed to impress, with critics dismissing it as mediocre and underwhelming.

Fawad Khan, Vaani Kapoor’s Aabeer Gulaal will not be releasing in India.

Aabeer Gulaal gets a thumbs down by critics

The romantic drama, directed by Aarti S. Bagdi, premiered globally on September 12. Now, reviews by critics have surfaced on social media, panning the film for failing to do justice to its leads: Vaani and Fawad.

BBC Asian Network’s Haroon Rashid felt that the film looked cheap, saying, “I found this to be one of the most frustrating romantic dramas I've watched in a very long time. Not only does it look cheap, but it is such an incoherent, inconsistent storyline, which is such an injustice to the talent that you're working with.”

“Fawad Khan is one of the best actors from Pakistan, you will know that he brings a certain amount of natural charm and charisma to whatever role he's doing. This film requires nothing more than Fawad and Vaani to just look good on screen and hope that everything else will take care of itself…. I genuinely have not had such a frustrating viewing experience in the cinema for a very long time. Add to that such poor finishing of the film, it feels like no attention has been paid to the colour grading of the film… Fawad and Vaani weren't the problem, the film itself was a problem,” he added.

As per Gulf News, the film was not perfect with the performances rescuing it from mediocrity. “Aabeer Gulaal is bloated, padded with unnecessary segues that drag the runtime. Lisa Haydon’s cameo is the biggest offender—it adds nothing, apart from reminding us that Bollywood can’t resist shoehorning in familiar faces. A tighter cut would have sharpened the storytelling and saved us from mid-movie fidgeting,” it read.

The review by Khaleej Times stated that the film leans “heavily on YRF and Dharma universe. Dance competitions (which Vaani obviously wins), medley of retro songs, and nods to DDLJ and Chandni abound – like the rain-soaked dance between Vaani and Fawad echoes Kajol and Shah Rukh KHan in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. It’s nostalgia turned cliché. One can’t help but feel that Fawad deserved better — and so did the audience.”

“The movie is weighed down by unnecessary subplots and cameo appearances that add little to the overall story. For instance, Lisa Haydon’s appearance feels shoehorned in, more like a distraction than an addition. Such indulgences make the middle act drag, and at times, the pacing suffers. The audience may find themselves fidgeting, waiting for the film to get back on track,” read a review by USA Pillar.

The review by Bollywood Hungama stated that “AABEER GULAAL is a breezy family entertainer, worth a watch for those who enjoy feel-good cinema with a touch of desi soul.”

Aabeer Gulaal will not release in India

The drama was earlier slated to release in India on May 9, which got stalled following the Pahalgam terror attack. After buzz that the film will make its way to India on September 26, Press Information Bureau (PIB) recently came forward to refute the reports, mentioning that the film is not releasing in India.

The official X account of Press Information Bureau (PIB) shared a new tweet on the reports that Aabeer Gulaal is gearing up for a theatrical release in India.

The tweet read, "It is being claimed by several media outlets that the film “Aabeer Gulaal” starring Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor will release in Indian cinemas on September 26, 2025. #PIBFactCheck ❌ This claim is FAKE ✅ No such clearance has been granted for this film."

Aabeer Gulaal is produced by Indian Stories Production, along with A Richer Lens and Aarjay Pictures. Vivek B Agrawal, Avantika Hari and Rakesh Sippy are credited as producers on the movie. The film, which was shot in London, also features Riddhi Dogra, Farida Jalal, Soni Razdan and Parmeet Sethi.