Gully Boy Review - A Compassionate Underdog Story.

In the movies, Mumbai has always been the land of wonder and success. In films like Salaam Bombay (1988) and Luck By Chance (2009), these characters chased the glitz and glamour that this city brings. So, in a key scene in Zoya Akhtar’s fantastic new film, Murad sits in a car, occupying the driver’s seat. The proverbial lights are calling out to him and they form this mesh around his car. But, he’s locked inside, away from these lights and his true potential. There’s about six, seven other subtle scenes like that that differentiate Akhtar’s rousing Gully Boy from its spiritual predecessor, English film, 8 Mile.

Of course, here, the stakes are raised. There’s not only parental disapproval, but caste, creed, race, religion, gender and money that Murad has to battle. His fight, as Zoya tells it, is one of every Indian in this country. It helps that Murad is played by the superb Ranveer Singh. Ranveer is known for inherently exuding bravado, which makes it even more amazing how understated his performance is. In fact, in his entry shot, he’s positioned as the sidekick. He’s no longer Dharam Gulati from Befikre (2016) or Sangram Bhalerao from Simmba (2018). He’s a quietly spirited, sometimes foolish, full-fleshed character that Zoya and co-writer Reema Kagti etch carefully and minutely.

But it’s not Murad or his struggle that make Gully Boy especially endearing. It’s the characters that surround him. His quiet mother whose eyes hide a lifetime of rage as his father brings home his younger, newer bride. His father, played by a superlative Vijay Raaz, who you may remember as Dubeyji from Monsoon Wedding, who is lecherously awful and arrogant. Or even an Indo-American music producer who he forms a tenuous connection with. Zoya and Reema skillfully combine the stereotype with layers. These characters have shades of grey and are emblematic of the film they’re in. Gully Boy has predictable beats, but Zoya’s structured narrative gives the storyline vitality.

Gully Boy is also a technical marvel. Its stunning long shots by Jay Oza contribute to the claustrophobia of Dharavi. We only see barren lands filled with soil. We don’t even get one shot of the sea. Written by Vijay Maurya, who also plays Murad’s regressive uncle in the film, the dialogues set the tone of the film. It’s because of his hilarious dialogues, most of which are supplied to the brilliant Alia Bhatt, that Gully Boy sparkles when its narrative sputters. But, it’s Suzanne Caplan Merwanji who deserves full credit. Honestly, I was scared when this film was announced. Zoya has specialized in making glossy travelogues that give you something to take home. Her characters are always richly written and rich. So, we marvel at their lives while laughing at their idiosyncrasies. So, I wondered, would a film as personal and raw as this feel like we were on the outside looking in?

Zoya makes sure that doesn’t happen. In fact, the two key players in Gully Boy that make the biggest impression are two lifeless things - Dharavi and the music. Dharavi is authentic, real, raw and textured. There’s never a quiet moment where you can hear yourself think. There’s always dogs barking, shehnais in the background, and an argument here and there. Then, the music. The songs Apna Time Aayega, Doori and Asli Hip Hop are instant favourites. But, I also loved the superbly written Jingostan and Azaadi, that are unfortunately under-utilised in the film.

It remains to be seen if there’s anything Ranveer can’t do. Just in the last year and a half, he’s played a super villain with no shades of grey, a flamboyant cop with elan and now a man who grows up a little too much in too little time. He seems to be driven by this peaceful force, and Ranveer is understated as the world around him crumbles. A special mention of the brilliant Kalki Koechlin, Amruta Subash and Vijay Raaz, who have smaller roles but excel because the material is so strong.

And then there’s Alia Bhatt as the ferociously possessive Safeena. Safeena is a wild character. She hits other women on the head with bottles, kicks and screams and assaults other people. She’s absolutely fascinating and Alia is both heartbreaking and rip-roaringly hilarious at the same time. Safeena is this hyper-energetic woman who lives in a world devoid of consequence or ration. It’s a ball to watch Alia play around with Safeena. We invest in her so much, that when she finally does break down, we do too.

Ultimately, Gully Boy does sputter in a few places. At 2 hours and 38 minutes, it’s just too long. It also takes on too many things. It succeeds at being a scathing critique of the patriarchy, and the film suggests that it not only bounds women, but art too. But, in Zoya’s skilful hands, Gully Boy is poetry. It’s so much more than being an inspirational story of a hip-hop artist suited to the underdog template.

I think it’s Zoya’s most personal film since Luck By Chance (2009), where she both critiqued and admired the Hindi film industry. Gully Boy takes a sledgehammer to the patriarchy, with an uplifting message.

I walked out of the theatre humming, ‘Apna time aayega.’