Generally the characters actors play on-screen don’t resemble them in any way. That is the case with almost every actor, unless you are Ranveer Singh. The Bollywood star, who played the character of Murad in Zoya Akhtar’s ‘‘Gully Boy’ says that the character resembled him.
The film which was based on the life of rappers Naezy and Divine, follows the story of an aspiring rapper, Murad living in the slums of Dharavi and hoping to make it big one day. Besides Ranveer, the film also starred Siddhant Chautrvedi, Alia Bhatt and Vijay Varma in prominent roles.
Talking about the character Ranveer said that the character resonated with him on a very deep level. The film which is set in Mumbai, was one of the reasons for Ranveer to do the film. The actor calling Mumbai his “Karm Bhoomi” said that he wanted to give the city a tribute and Gully Boy was the perfect opportunity for it.
Elaborating on his love for Mumbai, he said:
“I am a bonafide Mumbai lad so my love for the city where I am born – yeh meri karm bhoomi hai, janam bhoomi hai.”
Ranveer describes the film as Zoya Akhtar’s love letter to the city of Mumbai. Having herself grown there, the director knew the insides and outsides of the city. The actor who finds similarities between his real life story and Murad’s story, said the theme of Rap attracted him.
He thanked Zoya Akhtar for giving him the film whose character really connected with him. Saying that he and Murad share the same story he said that their victory over impossible odds resonates with him. Like Murad wanting to become a rapper, he too wanted to become an actor.
The film’s hip-hop theme also influenced Ranveer to do the film.