Gully Boy - Film Review

“There shooter-on ka khaas meri gully mein

Poorey sheher ki awaaz meri gully mein

Meri gully, meri gully gully gully mein

Meri gully, meri gully gully gully mein”

#GullyBoy may turn out to be THE defining youth cult movie of this generation. 

Being young is synonymous with being obsessed with finding ourselves. Defining our own identity is often a struggle between three parts of our lives that are in constant conflict with each other - our family or parents, the world and society at large, and our own emotions and fluid notions. Dil Chahta Hai (2001, Farhan Akhtar) was the youth movie for the 1990s generation, who were concerned with finding themselves through an inward journey of their own personal romantic experiences. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011, Zoya Akhtar), ten years later, was the youth movie of the 2000s generation, who were trying to find themselves through an outward journey of resolving the struggle between their heart (what they wanted to do) and their mind (what they chose to do). And Gully Boy (2019, Zoya Akhtar), almost ten years later, is possibly the youth movie of this generation, who are trying to find themselves through defining the world too.  

The story is about Murad (Ranveer Singh) who lives in a troubled family in Dharavi in Mumbai but keeps his sanity together through a gang of supportive friends and strong girlfriend (Alia Bhatt). Harbouring a hidden talent for writing poetry, he is drawn to a local rap artist MC Sher (Siddhant Chaturvedi), who becomes his mentor to bring out the rap artist inside him. Through a series of emotional ups and downs, youtube hits and being discovered by more producers (Kalki Koechlin), he finally breaks out of his internal and social barriers, finding his calling of becoming the rap sensation that he truly is.  

But, Gully Boy is not just a rap-to-riches story. In fact, the story is almost incidental, the happy ending almost irrelevant. And the movie knows it. The beauty of the movie is in the ugliness it shows in the cities that we live, and the story just becomes the canvas against which to paint the portrait of the city through the eyes of a gully.

The movie is not just about celebrating the rap movement as a sub-culture of our cities. The movie IS the rap itself, which through its poetry, its narrative, its dialogues and its characters, shows an angry mirror to the society we live in. It ridicules the misogynist chauvinistic male (song, Sher Aya Sher). It pokes at the nationalistic intolerant sentiment that is raging through our country (song, Jingostan Beatbox). It makes us feel the helplessness of the quiet acceptance of inequality in our society (song, Doori). And most of all, it puts at centre, the unleashing of the power-within of an individual, as the only way to move forward (“tere andar ka lava fattney de”).

Ranveer Singh, as Murad aka Gully Boy, is brilliant as an understated, self-effacing, introverted slum boy. It’s a reminder that he is a talented actor and he can do more than just the usual over-the-top performances. Alia Bhatt, as always, gives a convincing role, as Safeena the strong-willed girlfriend, standing in-step with Murad, egging him on. Though we would have wanted to see more of her. Newcomer, Siddhant Chaturvedi, as MC Sher, is a discovery. He is a force of nature, as an accomplished rapper, with the look and body language that exudes power-packed rap throughout the movie. 

The soundtrack beautifully accompanies the rhythm, mood and the beat-box of the movie. And is possibly one of its kind rap album that we will be listening for a long time to come.

Gully Boy simply must be watched, because it is an important film of our time. Because it breaks format. 

It is set in the slums, without any filter. It speaks honestly about our lives but doesn’t lose hope. It is angry at what we’ve become but doesn’t endorse violence. It’s a feel-bad movie that is liberating. It is a movie dedicated to rap! Need I say more…

"Apna time aayega, Apna time aayega, apna time aayega

Tu nanga hi toh aaya hai, kya ghanta lekar jaayega"