For those who know less about it, rap comes with a life cycle that birthed as a form of protest music/ poetry by African-American performers and a non-violent means of fighting against racism, discrimination and ridicule. It grew on the Indian land sometime back in 1990s majorly in Punjab, which became the hot spot for hip hop music.
The ones who have made the rap scene go beyond this, for a few years now, are underground rappers living in the slum areas of Mumbai and Delhi. What has today become a routine of jam sessions, passion, way of living, source of a successful life and much more was initially a way to stay away from non-ignorant thoughts of poverty and hardship.
Divine, Naezy, Tod Fod, and Mawali are a few Indian names in this rap world who have spotted the road to take this journey forward. Hear them out and they tell their stories with thorough confidence and conviction. They share that their lives are what have made them the personalities they are because everything they pen down is always a small portion of their past lives, their bad experiences and memories they would want to wash out, yet not.
These underground rappers touch upon issues through their compositions which have stood at the very root level of our society and still not been worked upon properly. Earning his share of fame through these years, Divine, talks of how he respects the fact that the rap culture emerged from the western world but to bring awareness in the minds of our local population we need to speak, portray and create visuals as per the similar audiences; awareness about our current situations, corruption, poverty and how we, the ignorant lot, can be the modes of an aspiring change.
So, with Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy, inspired by stories of real life rappers, Divine and Naezy, I have few questions in mind.
Will these gully boys be able to receive their share of recognition? If nothing more at least a humble beginning.
Will the entertainment world bring about a refreshed version of musical air for its new age audiences and listeners?
Will the compositions created by the rappers/ musicians, blow an awakening air for everyone or would it just be a faux pas to even put it across?
Will Zoya Akhtar’s fiction support in raising the curtains off from this plethora of talent hidden beneath the slums of our country?
Hopefully, my review on the movie should come up with answers to these and perhaps a positive feedback. After all, it’s a product of purely a power packed team. Fingers crossed!