Director: Zoya Akhtar
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt and Vijay Varma
‘A Captivating Classic’
Not many actresses in Bollywood have built a legacy as strong as Alia Bhatt. Ever since her stardom in the 2000’s, Bhatt has proven to be a great actress. Whether it’s rebellious teenagers, passionate rappers or lovers that face barriers, Bhatt has portrayed countless powerful characters. Arguably, Bhatt’s best strength as an actress has always been her bravery. She is one of those bold actresses that has seldom been afraid to take risks in her career. Through her willingness to take on risky roles, Bhatt has built a legacy that’s unforgettable. Even when she isn’t the main focus of a movie, Bhatt has always created a lasting impression. Throughout her career, Bhatt has made several unforgettable films that are worth talking about without a single doubt.
I’m a huge fan of Bhatt and love all the films she has made in her career. However, “Gully Boy” definitely stands out as being her most bold movie. Released in 2019, Zoya Akhtar’s film offered a powerful portrait of rappers in India. Packed with breathtaking production, engaging storytelling and strong acting, it’s a marvellous Bollywood music masterpiece. At a centre of it all is a brilliant performance by Alia Bhatt, who embodies a woman with a passion for music. Ultimately, what makes “Gully Boy” a masterpiece is appeal. Unlike most Bollywood movies about musicians, it covers profound themes everyone will relate to. A mesmerizing Bollywood music drama, there are several strong reasons why “Gully Boy” is worth watching.
“Gully Boy” tells a story of an Indian rapper seeking to compose melodies which people enjoy. Ranveer Singh plays Murad Ahmed, a poverty-stricken man struggling to make the ends meet for his family. Murad has always had a lifelong passion for rapping which is a form of music that he loves dearly. Murad’s dreams come true when his talent becomes noticed by the celebrated rapper MC Sher (Siddhant Chaturvedi). Assisted by his long-time girlfriend Safeena (Alia Bhatt), Murad embarks on a journey to become a famous rapper. As all the odds are stacked against his favour, Murad wonders whether it’s truly possible for him to become a world-famous rapper.
Zoya Akhtar is fascinated with the themes of stardom. A fantastic female filmmaker, Akhtar has often made engaging movies about stardom pressure. Her iconic movie “Luck by Chance” offered a strong portrait of struggling actors seeking success in the Indian industry by chance. With “Gully Boy”, however, Akhtar made her first ever music drama. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture the struggles of rappers seeking success in the Indian music industry but she succeeded immensely. Using breathtaking cinematography, Akhtar captures the life of a rapper which seeks success in a poverty-stricken country. Emulating Curtis Hanson’s “8 Mile”, Akhtar effectively uses montages to illustrate a rapper’s journeys to become worthwhile. For instance, montages elevate the rap scene. During this engaging scene, Murad seeks to practice his rapping in order to prepare for competition. Using montages, Akhtar crafts a portrait of rappers which is compelling. Montages are tricky techniques. As Karan Johar’s “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani” demonstrated, montages enhance Bollywood movies capturing broken families. Nevertheless, it works tremendously. Using stunning visuals, Akhtar captures struggles rappers are facing.
Another strong aspect of “Gully Boy” that merits appreciation is production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the finest Bollywood movies which you will ever see. Akhtar effectively employs cross-cutting to stage rapping sequences that are engaging. For instance, the cross-cutting elevates the “Apna Time Aayega” song. During this bold song, Murad delivers a melody expressing his passion for becoming a famous figure in rap music. Using bold cross-cutting, Akhtar honours the art of rapping. Furthermore, the musical score is marvellous. It gives the film an intense atmosphere capturing the painful burden rappers bear. Using bold production, Akhtar captures struggles of rappers facing tension.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Gully Boy” is a film about rapping that is compelling. The film is beautifully written, and effectively uses dramatic monologues to capture tensions that rappers are facing. Evoking John Singleton’s “Boyz N the Hood”, Akhtar expertly uses monologues to convey hardships faced by rappers in a dilapidated neighbourhood. For instance, monologues enhance the family argument scene. During this intense scene, Murad has an argument with his family over his passion for rapping. Through compelling dramatic monologues, Akhtar creates a portrait of rappers which audiences can relate to. Monologues are a tricky technique to use in movies. As Gauri Shinde’s “Dear Zindagi” suggested clearly, monologues elevate movies about therapy. Nevertheless, it works immensely. Through a spectacular screenplay, Akhtar captures the lives of rappers which experience a painful price to pay.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Alia Bhatt delivers one of her best career performances as Safeena. Bhatt earned recognition playing romantic heroines in classic Bollywood films. With “Gully Boy”, however, she took on her most tricky role. It’s not easy to portray a woman with love for rap music but she succeeds immensely. This is the actress unlike you’ve ever seen her before: intense, charismatic and utterly emotional in her most complex role. With bold expressions, she captures the angst, bravery and grief of a woman seeking to become a famous musician. It’s a brilliant performance from one of the most beloved actresses in India today.
Ranveer Singh is remarkable as a rapper seeking success in a competitive industry. While Bhatt gets the showier role, Singh is also amazing as a rapper seeking to gain his goal. Singh has always had a talent for playing charismatic heroes in positions of power, and “Gully Boy” demonstrated his finest strengths as an actor. Whether he is expressing his worldviews through rapping or arguing with his family, Singh uses strong body language to create a musician that is compelling. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the most celebrated actors that is working in Bollywood.
Finally, “Gully Boy” would earn the praise of everyone for capturing melodies that people enjoy. Unlike most Bollywood movies about musicians, it tackles bold themes everyone would relate to. It discusses strong themes such as ambition, career and poverty which would resonate with everyone. Viewers are not required to be familiar with Indian rap music to admire it. Therefore, “Gully Boy” is one of those rare Bollywood films everyone will adore.
Fans of Alia Bhatt will absolutely love “Gully Boy” and so would audiences which seek exhilarating entertainment. A breathtaking Bollywood music drama, it celebrates an actress that’s beloved in India.
Nearly seven years following the release of a groundbreaking Bollywood movie about an Indian man seeking to become an iconic rapper, it’s a riveting reminder of a beloved actress that has built a lasting legacy by her abilities to portray compelling characters in memorable movies throughout her career audiences treasure.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 