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Film: Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Vijay Raaz and Siddhant Chaturvedi
Stars: 3.5/5 Stars
One word for Gully Boy—Bravo!
Maverick filmmaker Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Gully Boy’ will open a hundred doors for hidden talents thumping hard to crawl their way out from not just Dharavi slums in Mumbai but several other similar places in the country. The film gives hope and that holds it till the end—kyuki #ApnaTime Ayega!
The storyline has a rhythm to it much like Zoya’s previous outings such as Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Ranveer Singh as Murad Ahmed aka Gully Boy is not just convincing but exceptional since this is a totally unseen version of him. At some levels, he is successful in building a connect with the audience which is what each character years for.
His journey from a chawl ka chhokra to ‘Gully Boy’ is full of roadblocks, jumpy and not smooth. But that’s what makes him shine and rise from the ground. His father, played by Vijay Raaz is tough, indifferent to his son’s talent and impresses in his own way. Good to see the actor who is supremely gifted perform such roles after a long time.
Enter Alia Bhatt, who plays Safeena, the college-going girl who aspires to become a surgeon one day. She is young, peppy, sassy and sets the record straight in the first half—Mere boyfriend se gulu gulu karegi toh dhoptungi na usko!
Not a single person, who didn’t clap after she uttered these lines. She loves her man madly and they share a rocking chemistry.
The movie smoothly moves into a zone where you can feel the emotions of Ranveer’s character who wants to make it big yet is pulled back due to familial pressures mounted on him. Siddhant Chaturvedi plays MC Sher aka Shrikant is another binding force who actually pushes Murad’s character to bring out the best in him. This actor needs special mention for acing the part and nuances to the ‘t’.
In fact, each and every cast member who is in the supporting role has performed to the best of their abilites. ‘Pink’ actor Vijay Varma as Moeen in another gem honed by Zoya in this movie. Also, Kalki Koechlin’s entry takes the screenplay to an interesting point.
The viewer slips into the life of Murad and sees him toil hard, word extra, run helter-skelter yet find a way to rap—and that’s the beauty of it. There are various fleeting moments when Zoya makes you recall Farhan Akhtar’s poetry from ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’. But this time, the vibe is different and so is the feel.
The background score by note-worthy and certainly in-sync with the movie. Music has been composed by various artistes and deserves applause because no even a single track looks forced or out of tune.
Jay Oza’s hand at camera gives you an insight into the life of all the characters and we simply dive into the world of Zoya. Vijay Maurya’s dialogues are as sassy and street-smart as they ought to be.
Over all, you want to be a part of this Gully Boy’s journey. Why? Because you want to see him rap like a boss, own the stage and clap hard for him.
Atta Boy, Ranveer!
