Review of movie Gully Boy

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Rating:4/5

There’s a line in the film where the character MC Sher (Siddhant Chaturvedi) says, “Agar duniya mein sab comfortable hote toh rap kaun karta?” That’s an insight that comes only from a true fan of this performing art. Director Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Gully Boy’ is the definitive look at the rap scene in India. It chronicles the story of an ordinary boy Murad, from Dharavi, who dreams big and refuses to let adversity squash his spirit. His journey from being the quintessential slumdog to being an ambitious rapper named Gully Boy, is exhilarating and exciting, to say the least. Rap is an unconventional genre of music in India, but even those who don’t necessarily associate with this form of music, will be able appreciate the underdog and heartfelt story.

The story kicks-off in a match-box sized chawl room in Dharavi, where Murad dreams of a better life. He loves the feisty Safeena (Alia Bhatt) just as much he loves to pour his pent up emotions and frustrations onto paper. His life takes a dramatic turn when one day he sees MC Sher aka Shrikant, rap a few college boys to shame, after they’ve booed a girl offstage. Shrikant takes Murad under his wing and together they kick-start a rapper team that’s high on spirit and passion. It’s the classic underdog story, with Murad’s poverty establishing the fact that he’s got very little chance to succeed and no right to harbour big dreams either. Also, his orthodox father Aftab (Vijay Raaz) brings in the quintessential conflicted relationship. While some parts of the film are predictable, what makes ‘Gully Boy’ stand out is the emotional intelligence. Murad’s journey has some fantastic moments that draw you in and keep you hooked. The stellar dialogues by Vijay Maurya add depth to the narrative. The story and screenplay by Reema Kagti and Zoya scores high, has flair and finesse with beautiful touches on the edges. It’s just the kind that raises the tempo of the narrative a notch higher.