Composers of Marathi film song featuring city rapper hope to gain from Gully Boy’s success
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 15, 2019)

Although their song featuring a Worli-based rapper was conceptualised a year ago, music director duo Rohan-Rohan — comprising Rohan Gokhale and Rohan Pradhan — say the release of Gully Boy will give their creation a new lease of life. The track, created for their upcoming Marathi film, Bonus, has been sung by rapper Azad, aka Hrishikesh. “While our song was composed before [Gully Boy], the film’s release will help the rap genre reach out to music listeners. Hence, our song, which also belongs to the same genre, [will benefit],” says Pradhan, adding that the number forms the crux of the film’s theme.

“We needed a genre of music that didn’t require beautification, and could simply make a statement. Rap emerged as the best [option]. The kind of rap we’ve used is relatively new in India, and hasn’t been attempted in Marathi cinema before.”

Azad, we learn, has also penned the number. The composer duo had first witnessed the musician’s prowess when a friend showcased his video to them. “He was a perfect match to the kind of rapper we were looking for. He has written the lyrics keeping the film’s central theme in mind. It retains the roots of the Marathi language, which is literature-oriented, and not easy,” Gokhale reveals.