“Main apne sapnon ko apni asliyat se nahi, apni asliyat ko apne sapnon se match chahta hoon (I don’t want my dreams to match my reality, I want my reality to match my dreams)…”
Hope is what keeps this world alive. Hope is what lets that one drop of sweat never be the last. Hope is what injects life into a tattered soul. This is what Zoya Akhtar’s “Gully Boy” yearns to emphasise poetically.
A young chap named Murad, whose only dream is to become a rapper, lives each day of his life only to make his dreams a reality. However, his family’s financial situation demands that he look for 9-to-5 stability. Therefore, being aware of the bleak scenario, Murad does what is he is ‘supposed’ to do with the vigor to break away from the dream-killing system.
This novelty in thought is conceived in a grief-stricken setting of a home where the mother laments the polygamous instinct of the father, and all Murad lives by is his talent. He voices his anger outside where his process of shining as a star rapper continues. It carries on because of his friends and Safeena. The contrast in these two worlds, where thoughts are formed and executed, is portrayed vividly by the director. Murad’s demeanor changes drastically as he steps in and out of his house.
However, the same dichotomy is muddled as he infuses his words with any and every situation he comes across. Whether it is his father or staring at teary eyes, he feels pain, and purges through his lyrics. For instance, the fact that he says “Kaun bola, mujhse na ho payega (Who says I can’t)?” or “Kyun hai yeh doori, yeh majboori (Why is there yearning, why is there obligation)?” throws enough light on the needless pain humans suffer due to their fears.
Akhtar crafts these visceral points in the plot quite subtly in order to deepen the impact. In other words, it is the effect of bringing in human emotions on one level and puncturing class differences on another. Her character, Murad, is a master of observing life at its harshest, and this ability is further backed by the characters MC Sher, Safeena, and Sky. So, by the time this struggling artiste goes on to win a contest, the film has already connected with hearts, hollowed up by unfulfilled desires.
Ergo, “Gully Boy” may seem like a journey from gutters to glory, but it encapsulates all of one’s soul and urges it to reach its true destination. The amazingly composed screenplay, powerful songs, and remarkably artistic skills of Zoya Akhtar and Ranveer Singh make for a fitting tribute to Mumbai based MCs, Naezy and Divine. Further, Akhtar’s soul-searching endeavour since “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” (2011) and “Dil Dhadakne Do” (2015) is held paramount yet again in this work of hers. Speaking of the lead actors, “Gully Boy” does carve an exemplary benchmark for Ranveer Singh, as well as Alia Bhatt, whose character Veera went on a self discovering spree in “Highway” (2014). Lastly, there is a ride taken outside of one’s comfort, only to find who one really is and all that remains is a revelation that makes the film worth a watch.