Look, Zubaan isnt 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.

Mozez Singh has written a story which starts off well but loses steam as it moves. Thani, Sumit Roy and Mozez Singhs screenplay moves at a leisurely pace, perhaps, because there is not much to say. It becomes boring in the first half and unconvincing towards the end. On the whole, Zubaan is a well-made and well-enacted film but its commercial prospects are poor because at the end of it all, it appears as an exercise in futility and without purpose.

The writing is patchy, with Kaushal not coming off as striking as he was in Masaan : hes 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.

Zubaan also has considerable space for two other actors – Manish Chaudhary and Raaghav Chanana.Chaudhary is of course a proven quantity and has the presence to fill up the screen. Chanana is perfectly cast in the role of the corporate scion who cannot understand why his dad is averse to giving him his due. 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 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 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.

. 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.On the whole, ZUBAAN comes across as a magnificent masterpiece of the recent times. Strong performances and extremely relatable screenplay will surely bring the audiences to witness the film that speaks about love, ambition, trust, faith and betrayal.

Zubaan has a platter of themes to offer and it may not be a great thing for everyone. It is a musical, coming of age tale of self-discover, a love story all rolled into one. This film may appeal to a very limited audience.