Gully Boy(HKAFF 2019)

Bollywood officially has a hip-hop masterpiece of its own with this gritty and rousing drama about India’s burgeoning hip-hop scene. Loosely based on the stories of two real street rappers, the latest film from hitmaker Zoya Akhtar (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara) follows a shy college student from the slums of Mumbai who uses his lyrical talent to free himself from poverty and his abusive father. Comparisons to Eminem and 8 Mile are inevitable, but this is an electrifying crowd-pleaser that can easily stand on its own with masterful performances and an amazing soundtrack featuring music from India’s top hip-hop performers and producers.