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When a superstar like Fawad Khan returns to Bollywood after years, expectations aren’t just high — they’re skyrocketing.

His big-screen comeback came two years ago with The Legend of Maula Jatt, an action drama that shattered records. But Aabeer Gulaal marks something different — his return to Bollywood in a rom-com, fans’ favourite genre of Fawad Khan films.

After months of anticipation, controversy, and delays, its September 12 release was clouded by politics. It ended up releasing worldwide, except for Pakistan and India.

Being a fan myself, I made the trek across Dubai to catch it, because let’s be honest — if Khan is on the big screen, you can’t miss him!

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

The film opens with Gulaal (played by Kapoor) getting ready for her engagement. Mid-preparations, a friend in the UK calls to tell her to check the newspaper: Aabeer Singh (played by Khan), a celebrated UK-based chef, is in Jaipur hosting a cooking competition where the winner gets a job at his restaurant, Rasoi.

Gulaal convinces her grandmother to abandon her engagement ceremony to go participate in this competition. Once she gets there, we see her dancing, in full engagement attire, to the song ‘Angreji Rang Rasiya’, instead of watching her sweat it out in front of a stove. Her eyes meet Aabeer’s. They have dinner, move to his hotel room, drink, flirt, and the next day, Gulaal wins the competition.

Abeer is surprised that this is the same girl he met the night before — charmed and slightly amused by her carefree attitude.

Conflict arrives quickly: Gulaal’s father, played by Parmeet Sethi, refuses to let her go to the UK. But Gulaal convinces him, invoking her late mother’s wishes (somewhat abruptly introduced via a letter), and boards a flight to the UK, where, as luck would have it, she sits next to Aabeer again. Coincidence? Bollywood magic? You decide.

If the beginning feels abrupt and choppy, the rest of the film doesn’t get any better. Timelines blur, and transitions are abrupt. The two-and-a-half-hour runtime feels even longer, and while Bollywood films are known for stretching well beyond two hours, Aabeer Gulaal stretches patience more than story.

Technically, the film struggles: the colour grading is patchy, the lighting is flat, and the overall look lacks the gloss you’d expect from a big-budget Bollywood production. Having said that, the cinematography is lovely, and the choice of locations is picturesque and on point.

The soundtrack is enjoyable too. ‘Angreji Rang Rasiya’, ‘Khudaya Ishq’, and ‘Tein Tein’ stand out, though it’s hard not to think about how much more impact it would have had if Khan himself had sung ‘Tein Tein’. After all, he isn’t just an actor, he’s also a gifted singer.

We are also subjected to some unnecessary remakes of old Bollywood numbers, shoehorned in as if to inject nostalgia. A dance sequence, rain-drenched romantic interludes, and tributes to Yash Raj classics (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) might have worked if the film had stronger bones. Here, they felt like desperate attempts to cover cracks in the storytelling.

And now to the heart of it all: the performances.

Khan is, without exaggeration, the soul of this film. His screen presence is magnetic. He slips back into the romantic-hero avatar with ease, reminding audiences why he’s cherished on both sides of the border. Watching him on the big screen doesn’t feel like a comeback; it feels like a reminder of what we’ve been missing.

Kapoor does what she can with a role that’s been played countless times before: the bubbly, carefree heroine. From Sridevi to Kareena Kapoor to Sajal Aly, this archetype has been played over and over, and unfortunately, Gulaal doesn’t bring anything new to it. She looks great on screen, but the writing lets her down.

The biggest letdown, though, is the missing chemistry between the leads. In a rom-com, that spark is absolutely non-negotiable. Khan has a history of electrifying pairings — from Mahira Khan in Humsafar to Sonam Kapoor in Khoobsurat. Here, despite his best efforts, the connection with Kapoor never quite takes off. The result? I was left uninvested in their love story.

Supporting characters are a mixed bag. Parmeet Sethi as Gulaal’s father delivers as the stern, disapproving parent. Farida Jalal is lovely as the grandmother, bringing nostalgia and warmth. Ritti Dogra and Lisa Hayden, in supporting roles, unfortunately, don’t leave much of an impression.

The wardrobe in Aabeer Gulaal is puzzling. Kapoor looks glamorous, but many of her outfits feel over-sexualised for no narrative reason — skimpy and uncomfortably tight.

One scene does deserve special mention, though. When the first teaser dropped months ago, Khan and Kapoor were in a car, listening to the old Bollywood song ‘Kuch Na Kaho’. Fans, myself included, fell in love instantly. On the big screen, it’s magic: Khan humming along, his quiet charm filling the frame, and then Kapoor asking, “Are you flirting with me?” and Khan replying with effortless charisma: “Do you want me to?” For that one minute, the film reminds us exactly why Khan holds a special place in our hearts.

So, what do we make of Aabeer Gulaal?

As an overall cinematic experience, it’s inconsistent, too long, and technically weak. The first half holds your interest, but the second half drags unbearably. A needless new character in the later stretch makes it worse. And while the backdrops are breathtaking, they’re not enough to hide the flaws.

As a Khan fan, Aabeer Gulaal is worth heading to the cinema for, just to be captivated once again by his endless charm. He single-handedly saves a sinking ship.

But did he deserve a better comeback? Absolutely! His fans deserved a tighter, smarter film that matched his stature as a superstar. And until that comes along, Aabeer Gulaal is worth watching for one reason, and one reason only — Fawad Khan.