Gully Boy
2019 · Directed by Zoya Akhtar
Original language: Hindi
- music
- drama
The story
Murad, an underdog, struggles to convey his views on social issues and life in Dharavi through rapping. His life changes drastically when he meets a local rapper, Shrikant alias MC Sher.
What it’s like
Hand-held camera stays close to the body in crowded lanes of Dharavi, where corrugated roofs, laundry lines and tangled wiring press in under a hazy Mumbai sky, and the palette runs warm ochre, dusty teal and sodium-orange at dusk. Night scenes are lit by the glow of phone screens, bare bulbs and the blue wash of a rooftop or a car's interior, and the camera lingers on faces rather than sweeping landscapes. The soundtrack is the engine: hip-hop beats, Hindi and Urdu verses and crowd noise carry the energy, with quieter passages of street ambience and tabla-tinged strings in between. The vibe is gritty, hopeful and kinetic, a crowd-pleasing underdog story with a steady pulse of ambition. It suits a weekend evening with friends, a long commute with headphones, or a lively night in when you want a film that moves. Violence is limited to occasional scuffles and a brief threatening confrontation; there is some strong language, and the poverty is shown directly without being graphic. It is best for viewers who enjoy music-driven drama, vivid street-level Mumbai and a spirited rise-from-nothing arc, and who are fine with a film that is more energetic than meditative.
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