2 Years Of Gully Boy! Here's Why Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt Starrer Will Always Be a Cult Classic

Gully Boy released 2 years ago and it changed the way Bollywood films are made. A coming of age story about a street rapper from the biggest slum of Mumbai.

screengrab/Ranveer Singh

The movie that was sent for Oscars as an official entry starred Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. This is a first where a musical drama made it to a global level starring mega stars. The movie released on Valentine's Day in 2019 and continues to remain a cult classic.

The movie has completed 2 years and here's why it is still phenomenal.

1. Emotional relationships intertwined with class difference

screengrab/Ranveer Singh

The movie does not just show street rappers singing and dancing but also the tough times they go through while becoming an inspirational rapper. The hard hitting tale of Murad played by Ranveer Singh shows the hardships of a struggling rapper whose life drastically changes after Mc Sher, Safeena and Sky (Siddhant Chaturvedi, Alia Bhatt and Kalki Koechlin).

2. Master stroke by filmmaker Zoya Akhtar

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After her wonderful direction in Luck By Chance, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Zoya Akhtar hit a master stroke with easy story-telling skills that shows swag, energy and how it hits home. Gully Boy is a visual treat where you see the life of Mumbai up, close and personal.

3. Ranveer Singh's fitting tribute to Naezy and Divine

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Ranveer Singh shown like never before. The mainstream rap 'Mere Gully Mein' by real life gully boys Naezy and Divine was beautifully translated into the silver screen by Ranveer Singh and Siddhant Chaturvedi. Ranveer prepared so much for his role and got immersed into the character of Murad that he even rapped a few songs in the film.

4. The story of Mumbai's underground rappers

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Underground Indian rappers in the slums of Dharavi shown up, close and personal. Akhtar incorporated the story of two Mumbai based MCs, Naezy and Divine, into a musical story showing the struggles and surroundings that influence Murad's journey.

5. Thank you for Ranveer Singh for being the perfect Murad

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In an interview earlier, Ranveer had says he wanted to give a tribute to his ¡°karm bhoomi¡± and the film was the perfect opportunity. ¡°One is my love for Mumbai, I am a bonafide Mumbai lad so my love for the city where I am born - yeh meri karm bhoomi hai, janam bhoomi hai. So, it means a lot to me and I am very proud of my city, mahanagri isse kehte hain and I see all the beautiful aspects of it and I wanted to lay tribute to it if the opportunity were to come about and Gully Boy was that perfect opportunity,¡± he said.

Whether it were in the lanes of Dharavi to hanging out with Sky in her plush apartment to pursuing a course in college to romancing with Safeena nd then rapping like it's his profession for real, Ranveer Singh proved he can slip into any role with utmost ease and passion.

6. Powerful songs that make you believe in yourself

The movie has 18 songs and every song has a lasting impact on the listener. Songs like Jingostan, Mere Gully Mein, Apna Time Aayega got everyone's attention and became superhits instantly.

7. We can't thank enough for Vijay Raaz, Siddhant Chaturvedi

screengrab/Ranveer Singh

Gully Boy's biggest contribution to the world of acting will definitely be Siddhant Chaturvedi. MC Sher and Moeen among others held the fort like no other. The best discoveries of the film and we are so glad. They amped up the whole film by a notch with their presence and skillful acting.

8 Infusing hip hop with a lot of heart

Musical Bollywood drama film that takes you through a roller coaster of emotions. We have always seen Badshah and Honey Singh but with this movie, it paved way for many more artists and songs and now Indian rapping has become an essential part of everyone's playlist, thanks to a commercial release.

9. Sheer Cinema Brilliance

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The sway with cameras, managing a huge cast and crew and shooting in the middle of Mumbai shows Zoya Akhtar's impeccable sense of direction and maximising the most out of every single potential actor.

10. This article cannot move forward without the special mention of Alia Bhatt

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The fiery Safeena is the young angry woman we all need to become sometimes. She is opinionated and expresses herself, sometimes through words, sometimes through violence. She loves Murad and also her freedom. Alia transformed into the role with ease and makes you want to love her despite her flaws. No wonder she is called Danger appa.

11. Unmissable Bollywood gem

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From MC Sher's rap, to Murad impressing him with his rhymes, to the romance Murad shares with Safeena and Sky to the indiscrimination he faces at various levels, Gully Boy is wholesome. Sometimes painful, sometimes inspiring and mostly makes you fall in love with their roles.