Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy, featuring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt ran into a packed auditorium at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) and we’re not surprised at all! I’ve just walked out after watching the film and the film has left me speechless!
It is one of the most brilliant films that I’ve watched in a long long time.The film is inspired by the life of underground rappers Divine and Naezy. Gully Boy is about a rapper from the slums of Mumbai, Murad (Ranveer Singh), who fights the odds to become a star. His path is a rocky one and he is discouraged time and again but that does not stop him from taking the underground rap scene by storm.
There is not a single flaw that you can point out in the film.This according to me is director Zoya Akthar’s best work even though I have loved her earlier films Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Dhadakne Do. This according to me will go down in history as Zoya’s most accomplished film. The narrative is well woven and the casting is brilliant and each scene has been shot very well.Zoya takes us into a world we knew very little or nothing about. Your heart goes out to them and you actually forget that you are watching actors Ranveer and Alia and not real characters. You get so engrossed in the characters and their lives.
Ranveer skillfully carries the film on his shoulders and nobody else but he could have done this role. He’s come a long long way from his Band Baajat Baaraat days and he has outdone himself in Gully Boy. From emotional scenes to drama and hip-hop, Ranveer shows a wide range of acting skills in this one. Like always, he gets into the skin of his character and is absolutely believable. You fall all over in love with this guys every time you watch him!
Ranveer is strongly supported by Alia Bhatt who plays his love interest Safeena. Alia as Safeena is a lovable outspoken girl and she fits the role perfectly. Alia lights up the screen and her performance is spot on!
Produced by Tiger Baby Productions and Excel Entertainment, Gully Boy also features Kalki Koechlin, Vijay Raaz, Amruta Subhash and Siddhant Chaturvedi in important roles. Each of the supporting cast too add to making the film a fun, entertaining watch. A special mention to Siddhant Chaturvedi who played his part to the T.
What makes the film worth a watch is the superb direction, performances, the emotional highs and lows and of course the rap music! In short, it’s a perfect masterpiece!
