Film: Gully Boy (Musical, Drama)

Critic’s Rating: 4/5

Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Vijay Raaz

Direction: Zoya Akhtar

Written by: Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti

Duration: 2 hours 36 minutes

Language: Hindi (U/A)

Story:

He's our very own slumdog from Dharavi who raps above the din to get his voice heard. 

22-year old Murad's (Ranveer Singh) aka Gully Boy lives a drab, impoverished life in the Mumbai slum, quietly taking in the trials and struggles in his stride with nonchalance. His father Aftab Sheikh (Vijay Raaz) is a driver who educates his son hoping that he will one day pursue a white collar job. Murad, on the other hand wants to be a rapper.

Authentic Hip Hop in India is a recent phenomenon and like everywhere else in the world, it is rising from the streets. Even as his father opposes his ambition, his girlfriend, a medical student, Safeena (Alia Bhatt) asks him to pursue his dream.

A co-opted story of two Mumbai-based rap-artistes, Naezy and Divine, the film traces Murad's rise to fame.

Review:

This is filmmaker Zoya Akhtar's most-assured and accomplished work. She delivers a simple message here. Every underdog can be a winner. And with a stroke of luck and a push from destiny, chasing the rainbow is truly possible. 

"Rap to be heard above the din'' Akhtar says.  And the film is that much more effective because it doesn't deviate. The film follows Murad's life from the slums of Dharavi. While it subtly captures the ethos of a low-income Muslim family into which Murad is born, his domestic struggles to accept his father's second marriage and other such challenges, it quietly paves a way for the under dog to find his place in the sun. Most of the strife is done without too much melodrama. And while it can be argued that Murad's rise to his Gully Boy status is far too simplistic, all of know that anonymity often paves the way for stardom.

Murad's hip-hop journey is also captured convincingly in the narrow back alleys of the slums, bonding as he does with other rappers many of who have stories of angst to tell.

Another winner in the film is the romantic track between the hot-headed but baby-faced Safeena and her childhood sweetheart Murad. She is determined not to let anything (even her affluence) come between them. The passion between these two young actors is captured with intense lip-locks and passionate stares. Both Ranveer and Alia are in supreme form and you find yourself applauding their love.

While almost every actor in the cast is brilliant, Vijay Raaz, Kalki Koechlin deserve a special mention. Actually Ranveer is the heart of the film and Alia the soul. Currently both these actors are top-dogs but they never let their superstardom get in the way of craft. While almost all their screen-time is joyous, they triumph often by getting you teary-eyed with much ease. And then there is their effervescence that allows some equally gleeful moments where you are guffawing.  

Of course the third hero of the film is the music composed by Shankar-Ehsaan and Loy. Two of the more famous tracks Meri Gully Mein aur Apna Time Aayega are ''rapped'' to perfection by Ranveer, whose time it is at the movies currently. Don't be surprised if you find yourself singing along in the theatre, moving in your seat, like you're mesmerised.

Verdict:

Watch Gully Boy. It's a winner. Ranveer ka time aa gaya!