Gully Boy box office collection Day 1: The Zoya Akhtar directorial is receiving good reviews. Gully Boy box office collection Day 1: The Zoya Akhtar directorial is receiving good reviews. Zoya Akhtar directorial Gully Boy has got a double-digit start at the box office. The film has collected Rs 19.40 crore on its opening day. Trade Analyst Taran Adarsh shared the day one collection of the film. He tweeted, “#GullyBoy is Ranveer Singh’s second biggest opener… Lower than #Simmba… Higher than #Padmaavat… Opening Day: 1. #Simmba ₹ 20.72 cr 2. #GullyBoy ₹ 19.40 cr [Thu; revised] 3. #Padmaavat ₹ 19 cr [Thu] 4. #Gunday ₹ 16.12 cr 5. #GoliyonKiRaasleelaRamLeela ₹ 16 cr India biz.” Ranveer Singh’s Gully Boy opened to great reviews from film critics and audience alike on February 14. The fourth feature film from Akhtar’s kitty unravels the underground hip-hop scene in India and also stars Alia Bhatt, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Kalki Koechlin. Inspired by the story of underground rappers Divine and Naezy, it has Ranveer playing the role of Murad, a young man trying to break free through his street rap. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh revealed on Thursday that the musical drama has released on 3350 screens in India and a total of 4101 screens worldwide. According to film trade expert Girish Johar, Gully Boy was expected to earn Rs 15 crore on its opening day and maintain its stronghold with a positive word of mouth. The Indian Express film critic Shubhra Gupta gave the film a three and a half star rating. Shubhra wrote, “(Ranveer) Singh brings a restrained swagger to the part: there is a gentleness to his anger. His Murad shows that Singh can tamp down on his characteristic boisterousness to create something of value, even though sometimes you can see the effort show.” She added, “But, ultimately, this is a film to enjoy. In today’s India, to bring a Murad and Safeena, their Muslim-ness a matter-of-fact statement, into centre-stage, to give traction to those who live on the wrong side of the tracks, is an act of bravery. ‘Inka time aa gaya’. Rap along.”<doc-sep>Entertainment ekdum hard hai bhai Gully Boy Story: Murad (Ranveer Singh) must fight off his poverty and social disadvantage to realise his dream of being a rapper. His friends and family rally together to help an ordinary boy in becoming an extraordinary rapper. Gully Boy Review: There’s a line in the film where the character MC Sher (Siddhant Chaturvedi) says, “Agar duniya mein sab comfortable hote toh rap kaun karta?” That’s an insight that comes only from a true fan of this performing art. Director Zoya Akhtar’s ‘Gully Boy’ is the definitive look at the rap scene in India. It chronicles the story of an ordinary boy Murad, from Dharavi, who dreams big and refuses to let adversity squash his spirit. His journey from being the quintessential slumdog to being an ambitious rapper named Gully Boy, is exhilarating and exciting, to say the least. Rap is an unconventional genre of music in India, but even those who don’t necessarily associate with this form of music, will be able appreciate the underdog and heartfelt story. The story kicks-off in a match-box sized chawl room in Dharavi, where Murad dreams of a better life. He loves the feisty Safeena (Alia Bhatt) just as much he loves to pour his pent up emotions and frustrations onto paper. His life takes a dramatic turn when one day he sees MC Sher aka Shrikant, rap a few college boys to shame, after they’ve booed a girl offstage. Shrikant takes Murad under his wing and together they kick-start a rapper team that’s high on spirit and passion. It’s the classic underdog story, with Murad’s poverty establishing the fact that he’s got very little chance to succeed and no right to harbour big dreams either. Also, his orthodox father Aftab (Vijay Raaz) brings in the quintessential conflicted relationship. While some parts of the film are predictable, what makes ‘Gully Boy’ stand out is the emotional intelligence. Murad’s journey has some fantastic moments that draw you in and keep you hooked. The stellar dialogues by Vijay Maurya add depth to the narrative. The story and screenplay by Reema Kagti and Zoya scores high, has flair and finesse with beautiful touches on the edges. It’s just the kind that raises the tempo of the narrative a notch higher. The driving force of the film though is the performance by Ranveer Singh. He was born to play this part and the way he raps his soul out in the film, makes it a killer set. He breathes life, despair, euphoria and belief into his role. A line in the film where MC Sher tells Murad says, ‘Tere andar toofan hai’ is bang on. With every new performance, the actor brings in a tidal wave of surprises. Equally brilliant is Alia Bhatt, in a smaller, but deeply impactful role. The actress brings effortless ease into the fiery eccentricities of her character. The chemistry between Ranveer and Alia is cute, lovable and fiery, too. Siddhant Chaturvedi, in his first film, deserves a dab of honour. He’s easily one of the most effortless actors in showbiz. Vijay Varma, Kalki Koechlin and Vijay Raaz are all superb in their respective roles as well. The music of the film is killer, too. The movie is inspired by the lives of rappers Naezy and Divine, and these Indian artistes, along with a whole host of their contemporaries, have scored a super soundtrack for the film. There’s a reason the film feels legit and that’s down to the fact that real rap artistes worked on this film. The treatment and the visual finesse of the film are at par with anything you’ve seen from Hollywood or anywhere around the world. The rap battles shown in the film are riveting and an inspired piece of writing. The problem with the film though is it’s length, which stretches to two-and-a-half hours, but the emotional deftness and clap-worth dialogues add the right amount of gusto and keep you totally engaged. This is a film that deserves an encore. And in true rap style, let’s just say… yeh Gully Boy hard hai bhai!<doc-sep>Gully Boy Director - Zoya Akhtar Cast - Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Vijay Raaz, Kalki Koechlin Rating - 4/5 The first time we see Ranveer Singh in Gully Boy, he’s stealing a car. Three men head toward an SUV, Singh walking third, far behind the cocksure leader. He appears tentative and preoccupied, having sought out the least active role. His name is Murad, and that is his way. A college kid obsessed with hip-hop, he even writes songs hoping someone else will belt out his rhymes. He approaches a performer with a notebook-full of verses, but this man disagrees, advising him instead to do what feels hard. “If we get comfortable,” he asks Murad, “who the hell will rap?” Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy, an underdog story shining a light on India’s incipient hip-hop subculture, is the first great Hindi film of 2019 and a rousing celebration of spunk. The writing is enthralling, the texture fantastic, and this world is a revelation. Here are characters without room to breathe who express themselves breathlessly, through a style of music that has always belonged to the marginalised. Dissent finds a way — and a beat. Watch the Gully Boy trailer here How does a rapper-to-be find another, though? The answer lies in Murad’s graffiti scrawl, where he accurately lists ‘Internet’ alongside ‘Roti, Kapda, Makaan’ as an essential. Rap battles in India used to take place on forums online before hip hop enthusiasts realised there were finally enough of them to assemble and make real noise. Murad sends a Facebook friend request to a performer, and finds a musician via comments under a YouTube video. He’s nervous asking to meet up, incredulous about suggesting it “directly.” This is the coyness with which young people approach crushes, the hesitant and gradual outreach of the romantic. There is nothing hesitant about Murad’s girlfriend, however. Played by an electric Alia Bhatt, Safeena is an incurable hothead — he nicknames her ‘Danger Aapa’ — who tells her man to go ahead and dream. She’s going to be a doctor and so they’re going to be just fine. She’s a dynamite character, and this is reassurance Murad sorely needs, living in a tiny Dharavi flat occasionally beset by tourists who want poverty porn on their Instagram feeds. Murad and Safeena are practicing Muslims, childhood sweethearts sundered by wealth and class. There is nothing hesitant about Murad’s girlfriend, however. Played by an electric Alia Bhatt, Safeena is an incurable hothead — he nicknames her ‘Danger Aapa’ — who tells her man to go ahead and dream. She’s going to be a doctor and so they’re going to be just fine. She’s a dynamite character, and this is reassurance Murad sorely needs, living in a tiny Dharavi flat occasionally beset by tourists who want poverty porn on their Instagram feeds. Murad and Safeena are practicing Muslims, childhood sweethearts sundered by wealth and class. The film opens with a dedication to pioneering Indian hip-hop stars Naezy and Divine, with Akhtar and co-writer Reema Kagti borrowing background and specifics from their lives. Many local rappers show up, delightfully cameoing as themselves. Yet Gully Boys doesn’t try to explain the music itself, or what draws these hungry young men to the righteous aggression of Nas and Tupac and Jay-Z, or even what distinguishes this subculture from other rebellions. They may say “old school” a lot, but they aren’t even wearing oversized shirts and multiple chains. Raja Sen’s movie review of Gully Boy Instead, the writers studiously follow the graph of a sports drama, taking as much from the Rocky template as from Eminem’s screen memoir, 8 Mile. It’s a smart move, keeping the beats basic and buoyant — if repetitive — and making sure the energy is full-tilt and familiar, instead of trying to convert audiences to rap. Besides, the prizefighter template is apropos. Who was the first rap battler in the world? Mohammad Ali. The knockout punch comes from MC Sher. With a name that means both big cat and couplet, Sher is played by Siddhant Chaturvedi with natural, easy ferocity. It’s the film’s top performance. When he battles, he seems to be shutting down rivals for real. Sher leans hard into the verses and the artfully effortless attitude, and warmly mentors Murad, dubbing him ‘Gully Boy’ and schooling him in the all-important ways of metre. Also read: Can Ranveer Singh’s Gully Boy match up to these best rap movies of recent times? The dialogues in Gully Boy are authentic from the beginning. This is where the film’s dialogues need to be applauded. Written by Vijay Maurya — who also plays Murad’s uncle — the lines are authentic from the start, allowing us a ringside view. Language varies across classes, like when Murad teases an affluent girl saying “Hindi nahin aata?” and she says “Hindi aati hai, but…”, actually using gender correctly while he is Bombay-istically wrong. The genius lies in the dialogues evolving; late in the film, when Murad is raging against his father, you can sense metre in his words. He’s internalised the iambic. In fact, true to the spirit of a film about angry young men, Gully Boy leaves much room for Vijays: Vijay Varma is superb as a neighbourhood crook who must have grown up on Jackie Shroff movies, while Vijay Raaz — one of the finest actors we have — is haunting as Murad’s sore, unambitious father. Cinematographer Jay Oza presents the city in wide shots, while framing faces — especially Singh and Bhatt — mercilessly close, exposing the actors at their rawest. There are some genuinely poetic compositions, one of which features Bhatt sitting alone at a bus-stop, an immediate contrast to her earliest scene, where she squeezed into what can only be described as an Alia-shaped gap in the crowded backseat of a bus, a hand-holding boyfriend on one side and a sleeping child on her other shoulder. Bhatt is a marvel, all fury and focus and fearlessness. Safeena is strikingly self-assured and frighteningly perceptive, and Bhatt endows her with innocence and impulsiveness. She also seems genuinely capable of walloping people. Singh spends a large part of the film silent, as Murad drinks it all in — predicaments, wishes, suddenly emergent dreams. It begins to feel one-note, particularly in comparison to the louder characters, till he locks himself in a car and turns on a song — he then explodes into a convulsive, amazing singalong. This mirrors another scene when Murad, encountering trashy rap on a car stereo, loses his head in the desperation to shut it. Murad isn’t Murad till music plays. Armed with microphone or words, Singh is unstoppable. There is one scene that jars — when he dances too assertively during a music video — but that only stands out because the rest of his performance is so precisely calibrated. From accent to action, Singh nails it. As Murad becomes more confident, he even closes a curtain like he’s dropping a mic. At one point, Safeena, desperate to cheer for Murad, shouts her encouragement mid-song while the rest of the crowd, aware of the style of the performance, waits for the appropriate time to applaud. Akhtar has done something special here. Gully Boy starts with a scratch sound and ends with a cut to silence, and in between holds voices that cannot be unheard. Like Safeena, applaud whenever you’re ready. It’s time. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10<doc-sep>
After riding a solid word of mouth, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt’s Gully Boy is now ruling the box office. The film opened with Rs 19.4 crore on Valentine’s Day and is expected to only go up from here with positive reviews flowing in, reported trade analyst Taran Adarsh. With Gully Boy box office collection, Ranveer Singh has posted his second highest opening ever, ahead of Padmaavat and behind Simmba, while this is the highest first day earning of a film starring Alia Bhatt. Directed by Zoya Akhtar, the film tells the story of Murad (Ranveer Singh) who beats all odds to become a successful rapper. It throws light on the hip hop culture in Mumbai and is inspired by the lives of rappers Divine and Naezy. The film received the Valentine’s Day advantage, especially in the metros. While it is not a holiday, the film received 40-45% opening in most big cities with youth driving the footfalls. According to Box Office India, the film was bigger than Ranveer’s last two releases, Padmaavat and Simmba. To give a sense of how the film has been received in metros, the website said the film’s collections will be on par with Thugs of Hindostan (Rs 3.75 crore) and Bahubali (Rs 3.5 crore) in Mumbai. The film has also been riding a solid word of mouth ever since it premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. While many of the international publications gave the film a good review, the audience at the prestigious film festival also greeted it with loud cheers. Talking about the film’s prospects at the box office, film exhibitor Akshaye Rathi told HT earlier, “The impact of Simmba would be seen significantly on Gully Boy. After an actor comes out of a pan-India hit, the audience obviously anticipates a lot from his next film. After Padmaavat and Simmba, audience is looking forward to Gully Boy.” Ranveer had recorded the highest opening of his career with his last film Simmba that opened at Rs 20 crore. The film also became his and director Rohit Shetty’s highest grosser ever with domestic box office collections of over Rs 240 crore. Alia’s last film Raazi was her highest grosser and collected Rs 123 crore at the domestic box office. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10