Deepali Singh (DNA; July 7, 2019)

Gully Boy, which released this February, continues to make all the right noises. The Ranveer Singh-Alia Bhatt-starrer, which was inspired by the lives of Indian street rappers Divine and Naezy, has now won the NETPAC (Network for The Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival that concludes today in South Korea.

The trophy is usually presented to the best Asian feature film by a jury. It’s a proud moment for director Zoya Akhtar, who couldn’t help sharing her happiness with us. “When we make films, we hope as many people see them. We hope the story travels far and wide because in doing so, it only makes the world smaller. We see the differences. We experience cultures unlike ours and understanding these differences bring us closer. We see similarities, we see the common ground of humanity and we recognise our own spirit in another which also brings us closer. To have Gully Boy recognised by BIFAN and NETPAC is such a tremendous honour. My crew and I will always be grateful for life,” she shared.

Earlier, in an interview with this paper, the filmmaker had said, “It (the movie) speaks of rap, an art form that came up from the street, like anywhere else in the world. These people use music as a tool, they’re all poets, they speak truth to power, so it’s exciting. Hopefully, it will resonate with a larger section of the audience than just the youth.” Looks like Zoya’s wish has come true!