FROM SLUM TO STAGE – RANVEER SINGH IN RAP BIOPIC GULLY BOY
IN GULLY BOY, A RAPPER FINDS HIS BEATS IN THE STREETS OF MUMBAI.
RAGS TO RICHES stories are never a simple rise to fame and fortune, and Gully Boy is no different. But
there’s a common thread that ties every success
story together: true talent.
Inspired by the life of underground Mumbai rapper Naezy, Gully Boy follows Murad (Ranveer Singh), a resident of the city’s Dharavi slum who dreams of a
better life – namely, of finishing university and finding stability in an office job. But a growing passion for
hip-hop and a chance encounter with amateur rapper Sher (Siddhant Chaturvedi) see him compete for the chance to open for American artist Nas – who is
also one of the film’s executive producers.
Gully Boy is a familiar retelling of a rapper finding
fame, and there will be inevitable parallels drawn with Eminem biopic 8 Mile. But the similarities (mostly) end there. It’s still the story of an underdog, but Gully Boy addresses South Asian social concerns, such as
religious division and the caste system.
Its characters are impossible to pigeonhole – each
surprises you through the course of the film. Murad
takes life’s lemons and turns them into thirst-quenching
lemonade for his rap battles. Initially unlikeable Moeen (Vijay Varma), who enlists street urchins for his illicit
activities, shows a remarkable responsibility for
them; while love interest Safeena (Alia Bhatt) – at first
glance an obedient daughter and aspiring surgeon – is
inherently rebellious and battles a raging temper.
Then there’s the music itself. Nas, Naezy and actor
Singh collaborated on a promo single for the movie, and the tunes that underly Gully Boy celebrate the
very best of hip-hop and Bollywood alike – the true talent that brought the film to life.