There is the regular life. Where we study. We work. We take exams. We prepare for a livelihood. We then earn from that livelihood. And then there is another life that we dream of. Where we don’t just earn. We live. Something nice. Something which makes us feel, Hum bhi kuchh hain..
Gully Boy is a movie in which a boy from a humble background, is told to dream, keeping in mind his ‘reality’. He however, brings his reality close to the dream. (This is a dialogue in the movie in Hindi, and I just realized I ruined it by trying to translate).
I know the movie released yesterday, so without giving too many spoilers, here is what worked for me:
1. As a writer, I could relate to how Murad (Ranveer Singh) found poetry in every day things. My friends often tease me how I find the potential for an article in everything. Little moments and observations create the best work. It reminded me of my story, Must You Finish Your Rotten Tea which I thought of when I accidently put green tea leaves when trying to make regular tea.
2. Safeena (Alia) tells her mother that all she does is go to college, and study to become a doctor. Her mother asks what else could she possibly want.
I want to go out, party, meet friends, talk to boys, put on lipstick, and do all of this, without having to hide it from you.
Story of every girl. We do not just want to study and be financially independent. We want fun and romance too. Without apologies.
3. Murad’s parents want him to study and do a day job. They do not want him to get distracted by passions that may not sustain him. This is what most parents would say right? Makes sense. The hungry artists on the other hand would like to believe that Passion follow karo. Paisa ayega! But is this necessarily true? Does everybody become successful following their passion? But if no one follows their passion early on in life, how will there be a Sachin Tendulkar or Lata Mangeshkar?
4. “I got so many likes on my song. So many people watched it. And liked it”
“So?”
“An artist creates something that makes someone feel good. Even after the artist dies, the work lives. It means something”.
I loved this dialogue.
5. I liked the ending. I hate the elaborate 45 minute musical competitions in Bollywood movies which I do not have patience for. It was a bit abrupt but I liked it that way. It was better than overdoing it.
6. The acting is brilliant. The last time I saw Ranveer Singh was in Simmba, a complete waste of his potential. More than Ranveer, I liked Siddhant Chaturvedi as MC Sher. Did a little research and found on that he was pursuing chartered accountancy!! Amruta Subhash as Ranveer’s mother is perfect for the character. Loved her expressions. Kalki seems to be playing the same type of roles again and again. Nevertheless, I like her a lot.
Now coming to Alia. She is a very good actress but I did not like the character of Safeena. I feel a jealous, possessive, manipulative girlfriend should not be someone the hero should end up with. Somehow, I felt that had it been a male character, it would not have been portrayed as cool. Rather, a villain who the heroine would have rejected by the end. The audience seemed to have loved her though.
Why did I think this way?
On my recent articles I have been receiving comments on how there are double standards in the way we perceive behavior of men and women.
If Priyanka Chopra says she needs a man only for children she is applauded, but imagine if a man said the same thing.
I guess the trolls have affected the way I see things now. If anybody else feels this way, after watching the movie, do leave me a note.
Overall, go for it. It is fun for a one-time watch.
P.S.
Special thanks to my sister-in-law who gifted us the tickets for our first Valentine’s day after marriage. Hubby and I have been rapping ‘Apna time ayega… Kya Ghanta le ke jayega’.. since yesterday.