Gully Boy Box Office & Reviews #1. - Page 44

Don't we crave to watch something new and different in Hindi cinema all the time? Well, Gully Boy is pretty much the solution to that craving. If a director like Zoya Akhtar has attempted this film, then there's very little where things could go wrong. It is the perfect blend of a lot of things; but let us begin with how brilliantly blurs the lines between a well-made commercial fare and a technically flawless film.

Gully Boy, as we all know, is about a boy named Murad played by the extremely talented Ranveer Singh. We all know that the film is Murad's journey of becoming the titular Gully Boy', but Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti's story gives so many phenomenal dimensions to this boy. The setting of the film is perfect so full marks for that! Zoya and Reema write magic into the surroundings. They introduce us to a world that most of us are not exposed to.

The relationships we see in the film are par excellence as well. Murad's family scenario is not something unheard of, yet it is the presentation of the same in Gully Boy equates it to an eye opener. The relationship between Murad and Safeena (Alia Bhatt) is easy to relate to, and leaves nothing to doubt. The almost break-up scene will surely give goose bumps to all people in a relationship. Murad's equation with his friends Moeen (Vijay Verma) and MC Sher (Siddhanth Chaturvedi) are certainly not only friendship goals, but they surely teach you a lesson or two. Apart from the strong emphasis on the relationships, the film sheds light on the drug businesses in the slums. The visuals of Jeene Mein Aaye Mazaa make a superb commentary on almost everything one rants about on social media. Coming back to it, one of the best things about Gully Boy is its writing that is so layered and detailed... I mean who would think of showing the audience Ranveer writing Hindi words in the roman script! I won't comment too much about it, but it is something to be noted.

Gully Boy is flawless in every single technical aspect too. I mean Dharavi couldn't be captured better than this. Jay Oza has done a brilliant job in capturing every single frame of the film. I assume the film is majorly shot in natural light, but it is to the credit of the director of photography that every frame captures your imagination. Another person who deserves credit for keeping us engaged in the film is the editor Nitin Baid. At some point, the film starts to concentrate more on Ranveer's bond with Alia and how it changes rather than the former's rise to fame. At this point, you do feel the film is digressing from the main track, but it is to the writers' and the editor's credit that the situation is in control and never entirely out of hand.

I couldn't notice the sound design as much as I would've liked to, as I was listening to the songs and concentrating on the lyrics. I will not get into details of how amazing the lyrics are, else this review will turn into a thesis. One thing though, is how relevant every single word and line in all the songs are to the times. Also, not to forget the amazing poetry by Javed Akhtar, there isn't a single person who won't relate to them. Special mention to dialogues by Vijay Maurya, which made me applaud the kind of research the man must have put in to make them so authentic. The accent is better than perfect, and even the simplest of simple lines have so much depth to them. A line that roughly translates to "which father will approve of such of treatment from his own son, spoke a lot about relations, values, upbringing, humanity etc. in that one moment.

Ranveer Singh who has delivered quite a few flawless performances off late, re-creates the same in Gully Boy as well. I simply love the way he expresses every single emotion. Especially in the parts he emotes his pain, you can feel what is going through his head in this rather difficult life. The way he handles his personal relationships is just outstanding too. There's not a lot to say about Ranveer's performance that hasn't been said before. We all know that he just gets better with his performances and it's the same with Alia Bhatt. Alia does not have a lot of screen time, as the story revolves around Ranveer's character and she is just a part of his life. But whenever she is on screen, she nails it with her superb acting. She ensures that you sit up and take notice of her splendid act, eventually making us fall in love with her performance. Kalki Koechlin, Vijay Verma, and Siddharth Chaturvedi are perfectly cast and do complete justice to their roles. Their respective tracks with Ranveer give them enough scope to display their acting chops and each one of them is impressive. The supporting cast that includes Vijay Maurya, Vijay Raaz, Amruta Subhash, Jyoti Subhash, Sheeba Chadha are all great in their parts even if they get only a scene or two dedicated to them. As I mentioned earlier, Zoya and Reema have created magic with their writing.

The magic mainly lies in the direction of Zoya Akhtar who has made this film seem so effortlessly, it is close to perfection! I liked how she explores many small aspects of the human relationship in this film like the family's reaction to Vijay Raaz's second marriage, Alia Bhatt's possessiveness when she learns about Ranveer's work with Kalki, how easily Vijay Maurya disowns his sister etc. The faces of the actors in these scenes create a distinct spark. In one scene, the close-up shot of Ranveer Singh in Doorie song is unforgettable. Zoya lights the screen on fire with her top-notch direction. The first half of the film has a kind of calmness to it which keeps everything subtle. In the second half, the emotional connect becomes strong and the overall impact of the film is stunning. Zoya's approach is both very raw and real in every aspect; and that makes Gully Boy a stand out film.

The film has many emotions, but somewhere it fell short in moving me emotionally. I just felt that the technical brilliance takes over the emotional beauty in Gully Boy. Like 3 Idiots, Zoya tells us to follow our passion too. But hearing this being preached by an aspiring rapper limits the film from truly achieving its universal appeal. Despite not ending on an emotionally high note, the film left me satisfied and craving for more.

Rating:4/5